The lawyer representing 75 sexual abuse victims at the hands of the Catholic Church has denounced the "pathetic" financial compensation his clients have received.
Addressing the parliamentary commission of enquiry into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church on Monday afternoon, Pieter-Bram Lagae said only 10 of his 75 clients have received compensations above €10,000. The average amount dispensed by the Church so far is €6,000, and Lagae condemns the meagre sum.
"It's only symbolic compensation, far below what these people, who have been victims on so many levels of their lives – emotionally, sexually, professionally – have felt," he told the commission.
In September 2023, VRT's four-part documentary 'Godvergeten' ('Godforsaken') exposed sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests in Flanders over many years. The subsequent parliamentary investigation aims to determine how abuse was handled by the Church and the State and how it continues to impact victims and society today.
The majority of victims represented by Lagae have brought their cases to an arbitration centre which was set up after a previous sexual abuse scandal in 2010. The institution provides financial compensation to victims whose cases cannot be pursued legally due to a statute of limitations. So far, it has compensated 507 claims, amounting to €3 million in total.
According to Lagae, his clients brought "convincing evidence" to the centre, while others refrained from doing so given a lack of proof. The lawyer says the burden of proof on victims – when one party is more obliged than the other to prove they are correct – is too severe and must be reviewed.
'Moral' compensation over financial
The expiration date on the right to initiate legal proceedings in sexual abuse cases is another sticking point for many victims. The statute of limitations on sexual crimes committed against an adult in Belgium is 10 years. In addition, no legal action can be taken if the perpetrator of abuse has died.
Speaking before the commission on Monday, lawyer and deacon Pierre Bernard praised a 2019 ruling that modified the statute of limitations in the case of abuse of a minor. "This is an excellent decision," he said. "However, this new law does not apply retroactively. Why does a victim of sexual violence from 2019 benefit from the non-applicability of the statute of limitations while a victim of acts dating from 2018 does not?"
Retired priest and founder of the working group Human Rights in the Church Rik Deville pictured during a parliamentary hearing on sexual abuse. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
In situations where the statute of limitations prevents legal justice, the Church offers two independently-run points of contact where victims can seek "moral compensation" from the institution. The initiative aims to listen to victims and acknowledge their suffering, and in some cases, facilitate financial compensation. The two bodies, one Flemish and one Walloon, have received over 200 calls since the VRT documentary first aired.
"To be listened to for the first time about the harm that has been done to them, without being assailed with questions about evidence, to be accepted and recognised as a victim and to hear the Church's official apology, is truly liberating," coordinator of the Flemish branch Mia De Schamphelaere explained. "Thanks to these conversations, we have been able to help victims in their personal recovery process."
