Germany’s Jesuit order offers sexual abuse victims compensation of at least $6,500

German Jesuits offer abuse victims compensation

BERLIN — A spokesman for Germany’s Jesuits says they plan to pay the victims of sexual abuse in the order’s schools a “symbolic compensation” of at least euro5,000 ($6,500).

Jesuit spokesman Thomas Busch said Thursday the order has not yet made a final decision on the amount that will be offered to about 200 victims who were abused decades ago.

The order’s head, the Rev. Stefan Kiechle, said in an interview with German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung the compensation for all victims was likely to range from euro5,000 to euro25,000.

Busch says the statute of limitations for those cases has passed, but the order wants to apologize with a symbolic compensation to acknowledge their suffering.