Research on Dealing with Sexualised Violence and Other Forms of Abuse in the Protestant Church (ForuM/TPB)

The project "Organisation und Person: systemische Bedingungen und die Praxis der Aufarbeitung von (sexualisierter) Gewalt" is a sub-study of the research network ForuM "Forschung zur Aufarbeitung von sexualisierter Gewalt und anderen Missbrauchsformen in der evangelischen Kirche". The qualitative sub-study is being carried out in cooperation with the University of Wuppertal (Prof. Dr. Fabian Kessl).

The focus is on the conditions, processes and constellations of dealing with sexualised violence in Protestant congregations and day care centres. Four multi-perspective case studies will be conducted. One concerns youth work in Protestant congregations. Two case studies examine the practice of coming to terms with (suspected) cases of sexualised violence by professionals in Protestant day care centres for children. Another case study is located at the interface between Protestant day care centres and church congregations and examines organisational processing after assaults by children.

In order to reconstruct the processing practices in the various cases, narrative interviews were conducted with victims, parents, accused professionals and institutional actors, as well as group discussions with institutional representatives of the church and with the new team of professionals in one of the facilities.

The data material is systematically analysed categorically and sequentially using exploratory qualitative methods. In addition to the interview analysis, numerous documents from interview partners were also included in the analysis. The research report of the network and further publications will appear in autumn 2023.

Further information on the research network and upcoming publications can be found at: www.forum-studie.de