Dealing with abuse: Solingen Evangelical Church searches 79 years of files

Dealing with abuse: Solingen Evangelical Church searches 79 years of files

The process of coming to terms with sexualized violence within the Evangelical Church is taking clear forms in Solingen. The Solingen Evangelical Church District has decided to look through all personnel files from the last 79 years in order to uncover suspected cases of abuse. This is happening as part of a comprehensive investigation process that was launched a month ago by a six-person team consisting of external investigators, including former criminal investigators. The team has already looked through around 2,000 files and is particularly looking for evidence of sexual abuse as well as letters of complaint from concerned parents. So far, however, there have been no major findings Solinger Tageblatt.

This initiative is in the context of a broader movement within the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), which wants to make it easier for people who have been harmed to come to terms with their experiences. With this in mind, 7,500 files have already been viewed in the Evangelical Church District of Wuppertal, with three cases from Solingen being noticed there. In the past, too, allegations of sexually assaultive behavior against church employees were often not taken sufficiently seriously. But this culture of looking the other way, as Thomas Förster, the deputy superintendent of the Solingen church district, puts it, should now be put to an end [WDR](https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/rheinland/solingen-evangelisch-sexualized-violent-personalakten- criminal officers-100.html).

Regain transparency and trust

The main goal of the investigation is to create transparency and restore community trust. The review of the files not only applies to pastors, but also to employees in daycare centers and former interns. While the initial inspections were unremarkable, the team of experts is prepared to take suspected cases seriously. Indications of abuse are forwarded to the regional church office in Düsseldorf, where they are legally checked [Solinger Tageblatt](https://www.solinger-tageblatt.de/lokales/solingen/suche-nach-verkehrsfaellen-in-solingen-evangelische-kirche-sichtet- Thousande-personalakten-I7ANQU4IMZEZHOSBF52AGEAQHI.html).

The regional church office has formulated clear instructions for dealing with suspected cases. The statute of limitations for sexual assault in the church is long, meaning perpetrators can still be held accountable for up to 20 years. The Solingen church district has also designed a protection concept that includes training for employees and intervention teams in order to be able to react preventively to reports. The aim is to show clear consequences for wrongdoing and ensure that all reports are taken seriously [WDR](https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/rheinland/solingen-evangelisch-sexualierte-violent-personalakten- criminal officers-100.html).

Joint efforts within the church

On a further level, the EKD has developed training and reliable procedures for dealing with sexual violence. An important project is the ForuM study, which is intended to analyze systemic conditions in the church and whose results are to be published in January 2024. This initiative is concretized by a “Joint Declaration” between the EKD, Diakonie and the Federal Government’s Independent Commissioner for Issues of Child Sexual Abuse. It is very important that those affected are actively involved in the process of coming to terms with it in order to achieve sustainable change Agent-Abuse.

The Evangelical Church is not only signaling a rethink, but is also taking responsibility for past mistakes seriously. Any suspicions should be taken seriously and the community is encouraged to contact the relevant trusted people with information. It is important to take the first step together towards a more transparent and fair future.