By Riccardo Valsecchi
Digital Journal
April 24, 2010
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/291075
On April 23, a roundtable against child abuse has begun its work. The Berlin committee was set up by the Federal German Government in order to discuss assistance to victims and develop approaches to prevention.
The committee was presided by the Minister for Family, Elderly, Women and Youth Dr. Kristina Schroeder, the Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger and the Minister for Education and Research Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan.
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| Round table against sexual abuse in the schools on April 23 in Berlin |
The approximately 60 participants were divided in three working groups: the first will be dealing with issues of prevention and intervention; the second with legal and political consequences; the third with preparing German's teachers and doctors in order to understand where the children are suffering sexual abuse.
The ministers said that they were satisfied by the proposals of the groups and they are making all the best to improve the situation for the future. They also said that the problem doesn't involved only the Catholic Institution, but also other schools in Germany.
A group of victims, who studied at the infamous Catholic Canisius College, attended the conference and were pretty disappointed: "The proposals for the future are good," said Marcello, "but who takes care about our right? We had the courage of coming out, we talked frankly, we have also the right to be listen."
Marcello is now living in Portugal:"I can't live in this land where my youth was spoiled by the perversion of a priest."
Norbert Denef, a former victim and chairman of a group called NetzwerkB, criticized the Round Table meeting:
"We don't see ourselves represented, we want to represent ourselves," he said during a face to face with the Minister of Family Schroeder.
There are no victims or representatives of the victims among the 60 individuals on the committee.
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