This study explores the extent of sexual abuse of minors by members of the Catholic Church in Germany. It is the first comprehensive study to examine this extent in a European country. The goals of this study are as follows: (a) to analyze whether the extent and characteristics of sexual abuse in a European country are comparable to those in the United States and Australia and (b) how discrepancies can be explained. The personnel files of 38,156 Catholic Priests, deacons, and male members of religious orders in the authority of the German Bishops' Conference were analyzed. The study period lasted from 1946 to 2014. All 27 German dioceses took part in this study. A total of 4.4% of all clerics (N = 1,670) from 1946 to 2014 were alleged to have committed sexual abuse, and 3,677 children or adolescents were identified as victims. These results are similar to those from comparable studies in the United States. Sexual abuse of minors within the authority of the Catholic Church seems to be a worldwide phenomenon.

中文翻译：

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1946-2014 年德国主教会议权威中天主教神父、执事和宗教团体男性成员对儿童的性虐待

这项研究探讨了德国天主教会成员对未成年人进行性虐待的程度。这是在欧洲国家检查这一范围的第一项综合研究。本研究的目标如下：(a) 分析欧洲国家性虐待的程度和特征是否与美国和澳大利亚的相当，以及 (b) 如何解释差异。对德国主教会议授权的38,156名天主教神父、执事和男性修会成员的人事档案进行了分析。研究时间为 1946 年至 2014 年。德国 27 个教区全部参与了这项研究。从 1946 年到 2014 年，共有 4.4% 的神职人员 (N = 1,670) 被指控实施了性虐待，3,677 名儿童或青少年被确定为受害者。这些结果与美国可比研究的结果相似。在天主教会的权力范围内对未成年人的性虐待似乎是一种世界性的现象。