Khaberni - A recent study revealed that at least 154 clergymen in the German diocese of "Passau" engaged in violence or sexual assault, or both, on hundreds of minors, mostly males, between 1945 and 2022.
According to the study, it is likely that 672 children were subjected to sexual assault or violence while staying in boarding schools, care homes, during religious education classes, or altar service.
The study report, which is about 400 pages long, indicated that the actual number could be double that, as many cases are still unknown.
It explained that the 154 suspects represent about 6.4% of the total estimated 2,400 priests, deacons, and clergy active during that period, with 128 of them suspected of having sexually assaulted children and teenagers.
The study noted that "this figure is only slightly higher than what other studies have shown in different dioceses, which is mainly due to differing methodologies and not necessarily due to a particular situation," mentioning that 86% of the suspects were likely repeat offenders.
The report stated that identifying the number of victims in the diocese of "Passau" was less precise, as sources often mentioned groups such as school classes, altar service teams, or children's choirs "which are believed to have been subjected to transgressions by a priest".
The researchers assumed a minimum of 3 children or teenagers form a "group" with all its members subjected to sexual assault or violence, either in the past or present.
At the end of November last year, the researchers handed over the study to an independent review commission and to an independent council of victims in the diocese, as well as to Bishop Stefan Oster.
This study was conducted in the context of a report published by the Catholic Church in Germany in 2018, which revealed thousands of assault cases and victims, prompting dioceses to initiate research-based investigations and provide compensations to the victims.
