Evaluation project letters from the term of office of the first Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse of the Federal Government, former Federal Minister Dr Christine Bergmann

Sexual abuse, victim reports, reappraisal process, UBSKM, letters, participation, qualitative research

• Prof Dr Jörg M. Fegert, Medical Director of the Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy (KJP) at Ulm University Hospital

• Prof Dr Cornelia Helfferich, Social Science Research Institute for Gender Issues / FIVE Freiburg (SoFFI F.) Freiburg/Berlin

• Prof Dr Barbara Kavemann, Social Science Research Institute for Gender Issues / FIVE Freiburg (SoFFI F.) Freiburg/Berlin

• Former Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues Former Federal Minister Dr Christine Bergmann

• Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues Mr Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig

• Social Science Research Institute for Gender Issues / FIVE Freiburg (SoFFI F.)

Feasibility study: Oct 2017 to Sept 2018

Project phase: March 2019 to March 2021

Project background

As part of the "Speaking up helps" campaign initiated in 2010 by the then Independent Commissioner for the Investigation of Child Sexual Abuse (UBSKM), Dr Christine Bergmann, over 3,000 letters and emails were received from victims of sexual abuse. Together with victim reports from the telephone contact centre set up at the same time (today's sexual abuse helpline), these documents have only been analysed cursorily to date (e.g. Fegert et al. 2013; Rassenhofer et al. 2013). In our current reappraisal project, which follows on from a previous feasibility study, these documents are being analysed in depth, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in order to better describe the groups affected and the contexts of the offences and to expand our knowledge of the processing of sexual violence. The results will also be used to make recommendations to the current Independent Commissioner Johannes-Wilhelm Rörig on how to improve the situation of those affected. The public should also be sensitised to the topic of sexual abuse and the (long-term) consequences.

Fegert, J. M., Rassenhofer, M., Schneider, T., Seitz, A. & Spröber, N. (2013). Child sexual abuse - testimonies, messages, consequences: Results of the accompanying research for the contact point of the Independent Commissioner of the Federal Government for the Investigation of Child Sexual Abuse, Dr Christine Bergmann. Beltz Juventa.

Rassenhofer, M., Spröber, N., Schneider, T., & Fegert, J. M. (2013). Listening to victims: use of a critical incident reporting system to enable adult victims of childhood sexual abuse to participate in a political reappraisal process in Germany. Child abuse & neglect, 37(9), 653-663.

Project description

As part of the final conference "Talking helps? Review of the campaign of the first UBSKM after 10 years" on 9 March 2021, the results of the evaluation project were presented with a focus on the campaign at the time, the lifetime achievements of those affected and fulfilled and unfulfilled demands on the care situation and the help system in Germany. The developments of the last ten years - ten years after the letters and emails were written - were reflected on and discussed with the participation of those affected. The presentations from the event and the press release can be found under "Documents". The final report will also be available here once it has been finalised.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact briefe.projekt(at)uniklinik-ulm.de.

Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues