Independent commission for dealing with child sexual abuse

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The Independent Commission for the Processing of Child Sexual Abuse examines the extent, nature and consequences of child sexual abuse in the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR . This includes u. a. Abuse in families, in the social environment, in institutions, by foreign offenders, in the context of organized sexual exploitation or against people with disabilities. In January 2016, the Independent Commissioner for Issues of Child Sexual Abuse (UBSKM), Johannes-Wilhelm Röhrig , convened the commission for the duration of his term of office until March 31, 2019 on the basis of the resolution of the German Bundestag of July 2, 2015. On December 12, 2018, the Federal Cabinet extended the duration for a further five years until the end of 2023. The commission is independent in its work. The committee members work on a voluntary basis .

history

On April 30, 2013, the Independent Commissioner for Issues of Child Sexual Abuse and the “Concept Group Processing” of his advisory board organized a first “Hearing Processing”. At that time, those affected and experts called for an independent commission to be set up. In August 2013, the balance sheet report of the Independent Commissioner was submitted with the request to set up an independent processing commission in the 18th  legislative period . In the coalition agreement of the 18th legislative period, it says: “We will ... ensure that the past is dealt with independently.” In a plenary debate in the German Bundestag on January 30, 2015, the government parliamentary group's motion (BT-Drs. 18/3833) “Processing of sexual Ensure child abuse ”is discussed. In May 2015 the application BT-Drs. 18/3833 dealt with in seven committees of the German Bundestag with final recommendation for a resolution and report from BT-Drs. 18/4988.

On July 2, 2015, the application “Ensure processing of child sexual abuse” was passed. The German Bundestag thus laid the essential foundation for the Independent Commissioner to set up an independent commission to deal with child sexual abuse. The members of the Independent Commission for Coming up with Child Sexual Abuse were appointed on January 26, 2016 by the Independent Commissioner for Issues relating to Child Sexual Abuse.

Members

The commission is composed of seven honorary members:

The Commission is supported by an office that is organizationally part of the Independent Commissioner's task force.

tasks and goals

The independent commission for dealing with child sexual abuse investigates the extent, type and consequences of child abuse in the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR. The commissioners and their hearing team listen to people who have experienced sexual abuse in their childhood or adolescence. She also listens to contemporary witnesses, such as parents, other relatives, teachers, of those affected. With their help, the Commission would like to discover which structures and conditions have enabled or promoted sexual violence in the past and which circumstances prevented help and intervention. The commission would like to give those affected the opportunity to speak beyond therapy rooms or courtrooms about the injustice they have experienced. From the findings and stories of those affected, the commission derives recommendations for action for politicians in order to initiate a social debate. Another goal is social recognition of the injustice that those affected had to experience. What has to change so that sexual violence against children and adolescents is better prevented in the future is a central question of coming to terms with it. To this end, the commission would like to develop key points for a successful processing of sexual abuse as a model for institutions and organizations and to identify further research needs.

Financing the Commission

Until the end of 2018, around 1.2 million euros a year from funds from the Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) were available for the work of the commission. Since 2019, the Commission's budget has been around EUR 2.3 million per year.

Exam formats

The commission has various research formats available for its work: Confidential hearings of those affected and other contemporary witnesses , which are carried out by the commission and its hearing team on a nationwide and decentralized basis, as well as discussions with contemporary witnesses (e.g. with relatives, acquaintances, teachers and teachers Etc.). Public hearings on key topics such as abuse in the family or the GDR. Written reports from those affected, archive research and document analysis, as well as evaluation of existing processing reports from institutions and organizations.

By the end of the first term in March 2019, 900 confidential hearings had been held. In addition, the Commission received 300 written reports.

Research projects

With the help of research projects at the chairs of the universities as well as at the institutes of the respective commission members, research should also be carried out on what makes sexual violence in childhood possible and what has prevented help and intervention.

Hearing team

The commission members are supported by an extended hearing team that conducts confidential hearings in larger cities across Germany. The majority of the members of this team are lawyers. The hearing officers conduct and document the discussions according to the guidelines drawn up by the Commission. Both the Commission and the hearing officers work closely with counseling centers for those affected, who provide psychosocial support on site if necessary . All reports are read and incorporated into the work of the Commission.

Reporting from the Commission

On April 3, 2019, the Independent Commission for Coming to terms with Child Sexual Abuse presented the balance sheet report for its first term. The aim was to draw up a balance sheet that includes the findings and conclusions from the hearings and written reports of those affected, as well as presenting the results from the main work areas of the first three-year period. In addition, conclusions and recommendations for those responsible in government, politics and civil society are to be formulated. The work of the commission is intended to help ensure that children and young people are better protected today, while at the same time adult victims receive recognition and good care.

The Commission published its first interim report on June 14, 2017. In addition to documenting their work, the interim report included initial findings from confidential hearings and written reports - personal stories of those affected who were exposed to sexual abuse in their childhood, mainly in the family.

Web links

  1. https://www.aufverarbeitungkommission.de/
  2. https://beauftragter-missusen.de/aufmachen/aufverarbeitung-in-deutschland/

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Independent commission for dealing with child sexual abuse. Retrieved August 2, 2017 .
  2. ↑ Commissioning the German Bundestag. Retrieved August 2, 2017 .
  3. ^ Confidential hearings. Retrieved August 1, 2017 .
  4. ↑ Hearing Officer. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on August 2, 2017 ; accessed on August 1, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.aufarbeitkommission.de
  5. ^ Public hearings. Retrieved August 1, 2017 .
  6. ^ Written reports. Retrieved August 1, 2017 .
  7. ↑ research projects. Retrieved August 1, 2017 .
  8. ↑ Members of the Commission. Retrieved August 2, 2017 .
  9. ↑ Hearing Officer. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on August 2, 2017 ; accessed on August 2, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.aufarbeitkommission.de
  10. ↑ Annual Report 2019. Independent Commission for Coming Up With Child Sexual Abuse, April 2019, accessed on April 23, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Sandra Stalinski: Balance sheet report on sexual abuse - covering up only helps the perpetrators. Retrieved April 23, 2019 .
  12. ↑ Interim report . Independent Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Commission, accessed April 14, 2019 .
  13. ^ Moritz Aisslinger and Jeannette Otto: Interview with Sabine Andresen and Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig on the interim report. The time, accessed April 23, 2019 .