Bishop 'deeply shaken' by abuse study on Germany's Protestant Church

A study on sexual violence in the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) released on Thursday has documented at least 1,259 people accused of misconduct within the religious organization in recent decades.

The study, which was prepared and presented by independent researchers, describes the findings as only the "tip of the iceberg."

Bishop Kirsten Fehrs of Hamburg, the current chairwoman of the EKD, said she was "deeply shocked" by the overall picture presented by the study and could only "wholeheartedly" apologize to the victims.

"As an institution, we have been guilty of countless crimes against countless people," Fehrs said.

"Ever since I have been dealing with this topic, I have been sincerely shaken by the abysmal violence that has been inflicted on so many people in our Church," said the bishop.

The EKD is an umbrella organization for the mainstream Protestant denominations in Germany, including primarily Lutheran, Calvinist and Prussian Union churches across the country.

The number of victims identified in the report, 2,225, is based on files from the regional church associations as well as the EKD's charitable and social services arm, Diakonie.

The EKD initiated the study in 2020 and provided €3.6 million ($3.9 million) in funding in the hopes of identifying structures within the churches and organizations that may promote abuse or misuses of power.

The researchers did not have access to all personnel files of pastors and deacons from the EKD and member churches, but primarily relied on disciplinary records.

The EKD represents about 19.2 million Protestant Christians in Germany, making it the country's second-largest religious organization after the Catholic Church.

Victims of sexualized violence can currently apply for individual voluntary benefits. According to the EKD, these are based on compensation for pain and suffering and are usually between €5,000 and €50,000. By the end of 2022, the regional churches of the EKD had reported 858 applications.

The study looked at all employees in Protestant religious life, including educators, church musicians and volunteer youth leaders. It is expected that more victims will come forward.