Involving victims of sexual violence in coming to terms with the issue is now unanimous, at least in terms of the letter. The members of the Victims' Council at the Independent Commissioner for Issues of Child Sexual Abuse (UBSKM) have been campaigning for regional and, above all, nationwide networking and participation of those affected for years. In the past, two “Mit-Sprachkongress” (Mit-Language Congresses) were held on a voluntary basis for those affected and their supporters in order to improve national and international networking. The strengthening and further development of processes of affected participation promotes the empowerment of all those involved. The necessary professional discussion also needs the space to be able to address one's own concern,without being reduced to victim status.
But how is it supposed to succeed? Perpetrators - 80 to 90 percent of them are male and 10 to 20 percent female - rarely contribute to uncovering and coming to terms with their own attacks. The environment in which the acts occurred is also silent, suppressed or often deliberately marginalized the events. This applies to families as well as to institutions. Consistent detection and processing are perceived as a threat and counteracted accordingly. This attitude has serious consequences for commitment and transparency in all processing processes. The names of perpetrators are not mentioned, nor are the names of all those who have remained silent in order to cover up and protect the reputation of an institution or a family. Cheap is accepted,urgently needed help is denied to those affected and further children and young people are endangered.
The Independent Commission for Coming to terms with Child Sexual Abuse started its work a good five years ago. A lot has happened in society and politics since then, but not nearly enough. With a view to the federal election and the upcoming decisions, the members of the commission, those affected, activists as well as politicians and other scientists will discuss this topic in more depth on FAZ.NET. So far you could read “The processing is only just beginning”, “Why not a truth commission?”, “Exposed to attacks and acts of violence without protection”, “The past is not over for many”, “Breaking the spell of the past”, “School crime scene "," The forgotten suffering of the deportation children ","Recognition by Spirit and Money" as well as "The Doubly Trapped" and "Child Abuse by Women - The Silent Crime"
However, there are two actors who can promote the assumption of responsibility in the context of sexualised violence if reappraisal is continuously blocked: All of us as a society and ultimately the state as the political leader, as well as those affected themselves, who had to experience and suffer what society could not prevent, or worse, did not want to prevent.