Ansbach. After the death of a youth leader of a Franconian water sports club accused of sexual abuse, a case of abuse of enormous dimensions was uncovered. The man had sexually abused at least 57 male children and adolescents in around 1,400 cases over a period of 26 years. This is sometimes difficult, as Chief Public Prosecutor Michael Schrotberger from the Ansbach public prosecutor said on Tuesday. Other media had previously reported on the increased number of victims. Initially, there was talk of 30 children and young people.
The 56-year-old had worked as the youth leader of a water sports club in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district since 1991. A man with two faces, as Schrotberger described. “Outwardly, he was the caring, over-committed, rule-minded, but had a completely different regime with the children.” Although the youth leader had never used violence as far as is known, he instead worked with rewards and gifts. “Anyone who had his way was allowed to go on the great sailing trip to Croatia.”
Victims of abuse kept silent out of shame
The victims never said anything out of shame. “There were always rumors in the club that the accused did not keep the necessary distance from the children, but there was never any talk of criminal acts,” explained Schrotberger. A perpetrator network was not found. Investigations against a member of the Board of Management were also ultimately suspended.
The allegations only came to light when the youth leader had already given up his work for the club and three victims filed charges. The investigation then picked up speed within a few days, and the man was placed in custody. He was silent on the allegations and killed himself in his cell in June 2020 after a little over a week.
Do you have thoughts of suicide? Then please contact the following numbers:
Telephone hotline (free of charge, 24 hours), also information about local support services:
(0800) 111 0 111 (ev.)
(0800) 111 0 222 (rk.)
(0800) 111 0 333 (for children / adolescents)
Email at www.telefonseelsorge.de.
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