Dutch Protestant Church Has Its Sexual Abuse; Had 300 Abuse Complaints from 2005 to 2010

The Dutch News website reports today (September 30, 2011) that the Protestant Church received 300 complaints of sexual abuse between 2005 and 2010, according to research by the EO television program "The Fifth Day." Of these, nine were judged well-founded.

Church authorities say their complaints line receives an average of 20 calls about sexual abuse each year.

Protestant church workers -- such as vicars -- who commit sexual abuse will now have to do public penance to their victims, Arjan Plaisier of the Protestant Church Nederland said.

"It's important, for offenders and victims, that it's not swept under the carpet," he added.