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CRIME

Study reveals hundreds of sexual abuse victims in Swiss Catholic Church

A study into sexual abuse in the Swiss Catholic Church has identified almost a thousand victims and widespread efforts to cover up abuse, researchers at the University of Zurich said Tuesday, warning it was "just the tip of the iceberg".

Study reveals hundreds of sexual abuse victims in Swiss Catholic Church
The monastery of Montcroix in Delemont, north-western Switzerland. Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI/AFP.

The year-long inquiry by historians, commissioned by Church authorities, identified 921 victims since 1950 and found that most cases either went unreported or documents containing information were destroyed.

Researchers found that “Church leaders ignored, concealed or minimised most cases of sexual abuse analysed until the 2000s”.

“When they were forced to act, they often did so not by focusing on the people concerned, but to protect the perpetrators, the institution or their position”, the report said.

The study, which will be completed by a further three-year research campaign, comes after similar efforts to uncover clerical abuse in other parts of the world.

“It is without doubt just the tip of the iceberg”, said Professor Marietta Meier, who led the study along with colleague Monika Dommann.

According to the initial findings, 74 percent of victims were children, while a total of 510 people, almost all men, were found to have committed the abuse.

More than half of the victims were male and almost 40 percent were female, the study found.

The subject “has preoccupied us for a long time now and we are distressed and ashamed by it,” Renata Asal-Steger, president of Switzerland’s Roman Catholic Central Conference, told a press conference.

“We have missed the point, we gave countless excuses and our actions fell short of what the victims are entitled to,” she added.

Asal-Steger emphasised that “it is an important day for the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland”.

“Even though atrocious acts and countless failings within the ranks of the three national organisations of the Catholic Church will be brought to light today, we are grateful.”

Swiss bishops said Sunday that they had opened a preliminary inquiry into accusations of a cover-up of sexual assaults within the Church.

It was set up following “allegations made against several emeritus and serving members of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference as well as other clergy members in the handling of cases of sexual abuse”, the group said in a statement.

Member comments

  1. It is absurd that the church is investigating itself.

    Any other organisation accused of mass rape and pedophilia would have their doors broken down by the police and a merciless investigation would ensue. How is this not considered a criminal case to be handled by the courts?

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LAUSANNE

American tourist ‘violently attacked’ in Lausanne

A woman visiting from the United States was stabbed during a robbery attempt while sightseeing in the Swiss city of Lausanne.

American tourist 'violently attacked' in Lausanne

The attack occurred at the end of May, but the Swiss media reported it on Tuesday.

The victim, in her 50s, was “violently” attacked by a man with a knife while sightseeing in the Old Town, according to Lausanne’s newspaper 24 Heures. The attempted robbery was confirmed by local police.

The tourist was stabbed in the shoulder as the assailant tried to flee with her bag.

A local shopkeeper said she was “alerted by cries of distress in English” and witnessed the victim “lying on the ground and trying to defend herself against a man who was attacking her. The scene was extremely violent.”

Even though passersby attempted to intercept the attacker, he managed to escape.

He was, however, caught and arrested shortly thereafter. Police said the perpatrator was known for prior criminal acts.

This was the second case of a brutal attack in Switzerland  against a US tourist in a span of several months.

In February, an American woman was raped and beaten in Geneva. 

The suspect in that case lived in France and, according to the Geneva prosecutor’s office, was arrested “outside Switzerland.” 

Does this mean the two cities are unsafe for tourists?

Lausanne police said that no incidents “targeting tourists in particular” have been reported in the Vaud capital.

But reading about these attacks probably doesn’t fill you with confidence regarding your personal security in Switzerland.

Still, you should put these unfortunate incidents in perspective.

That’s because Switzerland consistently ranks among the least risky nations in the world, both in terms of personal safety and overall crime rate.

Not only is crime limited in scope, but other statistics also indicate that, in comparison with other countries, Switzerland is very safe.

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