Reformed Church of Switzerland – Study by the Reformed Church on sexual abuse – News

• The Reformed Church wants to conduct a study on sexual abuse.
• To this end, she has submitted a corresponding application to the church parliament, as President Rita Famos said in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag”.
• The study will address the question of where abuse occurs and how frequently.
• The study should provide results from the entire population. Families, sports associations and schools should also be able to benefit.

Abuse is a problem for society as a whole, said Rita Famos in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag”. And it’s not about distracting attention from cases within our own ranks. A more in-depth investigation, especially in the reformed environment, is therefore also planned for the survey.

A study in the Protestant church in Germany led to the decision to apply to study in Switzerland. In an extrapolation, the study estimates that at least 9,000 people in Germany have suffered sexual violence in the Protestant church since 1945. It identified at least 2,225 people currently affected and at least 1,259 suspected perpetrators, the majority of whom were men. The results were announced in early 2024.

The study by the Reformed Church of Switzerland is expected to cost 1.6 million francs, as can be seen from the interview with “NZZ am Sonntag”. The church parliament, the synod, will decide on the application in June.

By addressing the issue in the Reformed Church, victims should be given a voice, said Rita Famos in the SRF “Rendez-vous” at the end of 2023. There is also a need for further action, for example, the registration offices of the cantonal churches must be easier to find and accessible nationwide.

Financial compensation for victims must also be considered and protection concepts must be created where none already exist, says Famos.