Victims of sexual abuse by catholic clerics and their needs for compensation

Crime victims hold several expectations regarding the compensation of the harm done to them. In this regard, it is important to distinguish between material (e.g. financial) and immaterial (e.g. emotional support) needs and forms of compensation. To explore the matching between desired and actually awarded compensation, data of a survey with N=104 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clerics were analysed. Data analyses revealed that the respondents most often required an apology and reparation by the Catholic Church followed by wishes for financial redress. Those were in turn the needs most frequently met. The majority of the victims also desired an apology and reparation by the offender, legal punishment for the offender, and therapeutic help for themselves. However, these forms of compensation were only scarcely provided. Taking into account further victimological research, findings are discussed against the background of restorative justice