There must be better psychological and legal support for victims of sexual abuse. That is one of the conclusions after the special committee for the evaluation of the approach to sexual abuse in the Flemish Parliament. But there also needs to be a better framework for the perpetrators.
The special committee has held hearings in recent months in the aftermath of the broadcast of Godforgotten on Canvas. Those sessions concluded last week and the committee members are now retreating to put their recommendations on paper.
“It has become clear that victims often still do not know where to turn,” says chairman Hannelore Goeman (Vooruit). “We really need to get rid of the proliferation of reporting points.”
According to Goeman, a striking difference in approach between the sectors has also become clear. “In the sports sector, for example, things are going well, but there is still a lot of work to be done in education. There must be manuals for the schools, so that management knows how to act in the event of a complaint.”
Freya Perdaens of N-VA wants to bring together all forms of assistance for victims in ‘Houses of the victim’, by analogy with the ‘Houses of the child’. “In addition to psychological help, attention should also be paid to legal help,” she says.
“The Church will have to pay”
Perdaens has been unpleasantly surprised by the attitude of the Church in recent weeks. “The religious congregations and the representatives of the bishops often showed no empathy,” she says. “They made a very measured impression. They do what they are asked, but no more than that. Like a mandatory number.”
According to Goeman, the Church will have to pay financially for the victims caused by religious people. “The Church will have to pay for that psychological help,” she says. “At the same time, politicians will have to eliminate the waiting lists so that real help can be provided.”
Guidance for perpetrators
Katrien Schryvers of CD&V also wants to pay sufficient attention to the perpetrators. “For example, there is too little cooperation with the public prosecutor’s offices,” she says. “It is not sufficiently known who is being investigated.”
Perpetrators, whether convicted or not, should also receive better guidance, according to the parliamentarians. “It is actually hallucinating that this guidance is not yet mandatory,” says Perdaens. However, organizations such as Stop it now are over-requested and deserve additional support.
By April 1, parliamentarians will present their final recommendations in a resolution.
READ ALSO. Once abused himself, but now before a judge for pedophilia: “He took care of other children as a way of ‘self-healing’” (+)
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