Opening the Door for Healing: Commission Seeks Input from Abuse Victims in Erfurt Diocese
Commission seeks input from survivors of mistreatment - Commission seeks input from individuals affected by mistreatment or misuse of power
Eager to better understand the experiences of survivors of sexual abuse within the Erfurt Diocese, a review commission is reaching out for their feedback. Survivors can fill out a specially designed questionnaire from the commission and send it via email or mail. The Independent Commission for Investigating Sexual Abuse of Minors and Vulnerable Adults in the Erfurt Diocese made this announcement.
Answers can be submitted anonymously, and the information will be kept confidential, the commission stated. The report's findings will be included in the commission's final report, slated for 2026. The questions focus on areas like whether survivors feel heard by the diocese of Erfurt or if they feel adequately compensated financially by the church. Commission chair, Ulrike Brune, highlighted that the questions do not pertain to the incidents themselves.
Stumbling Block: Questionnaire via Diocese Website
Brune expressed concerns that the questionnaire can only be accessed through the website of the diocese, or rather the "perpetrator organization." Unfortunately, the diocese has not yet agreed to a separate website for the commission. Brune believes this is incongruous with the commission's assertions of independence.
The commission investigates incidents of sexual abuse within the Erfurt diocese from 1945 up until its establishment in October 2021. As of last fall, the commission estimated that there are more than 60 victims within the diocese.
- Erfurt
- Abuse
- Input Sought
- Diocese
- The review commission is looking for the input of survivors of sexual abuse within the Erfurt Diocese, specifically focusing on the experiences and interactions with the diocese itself.
- To provide this input, survivors can complete a specially designed questionnaire sent via email or mail to the Independent Commission for Investigating Sexual Abuse of Minors and Vulnerable Adults in the Erfurt Diocese.
- Answering the questionnaire anonymously is possible, and the commission promises strict confidentiality for all submissions.
- The results gathered from these questionnaires will be compiled and included in the commission's final report, scheduled for release in 2026.
- The questions covered in the questionnaire concern topics such as if survivors feel heard and adequately compensated by the Erfurt Diocese, but do not relate to the specific incidents themselves.
- Commission chair, Ulrike Brune, has expressed concerns about the location of the questionnaire on the diocese's website, stating that it may compromise the commission's independence since it is a "perpetrator organization."
