Abuse in the Catholic Church: Council for Affected Persons - Catholic Church Forms Survivors' Council to Address Past Sexual Abuse
A new advisory council will give survivors of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church a direct role in addressing past wrongs. The group will include those who suffered abuse in the Archdiocese of Berlin, the Diocese of Görlitz, and the Catholic Military Chaplaincy. Its aim is to support investigations and ensure cases of sexualised violence are properly acknowledged.
The survivors' advisory council will work alongside the church's existing structures. It will be integrated into the Interdiocesan Commission for Addressing Sexual Abuse and Sexualized Violence, which is being restructured to include survivor input. This marks a shift in how the church handles cases of abuse, placing affected individuals at the centre of the reckoning process.
Those interested in joining the council can still come forward. The Diocese of Berlin is currently seeking participants until the end of April. Selections for the advisory roles will begin in May, though no public figures on the number of applicants have been released. The council's work will focus on reviewing past cases and improving how the church responds to abuse allegations. Survivors will advise on investigations, transparency measures, and support systems for other victims.
The creation of the survivors' advisory council follows calls for greater accountability in the Catholic Church. By involving those directly affected, the institution aims to address historical failures and prevent future harm. The first meetings of the restructured commission are expected to take place after the selection process concludes in May.
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