Priest abused 13-year-old girl for years: victim gets huge compensation

A religious congregation in Poland has to pay a compensation of 240,000 euros to the victim of a pedosexual priest. The now 24-year-old woman also receives a monthly ‘interest’ of 800 zloty (185 euros). The judgment was confirmed in appeal.

For Catholic Poland, the verdict is a first. Never before has a religious institution had to put such an amount on the table. The problem of sexual abuse by priests was marginalized for a long time.

Trapped in the trap
The then thirteen-year-old victim lived in poor conditions. The priest had suggested to her parents to find a pension in another city. But in reality, he let her stay in an apartment where he sexually abused the girl for over a year.

The clergyman was arrested in 2008. Two years later he got four years in prison. When he had finished it, he was placed in a priest’s rest home. According to the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, he continued to lead the mass and had contacts with children on Facebook.

Four suicide attempts
The woman survived four suicide attempts and stayed several times in a psychiatric hospital. In January, the judgment in first instance followed. The court ruled that the organization was responsible for the actions of its member.

The priest himself has been put back in the layman state. In December 2017, he was expelled from his congregation.

Source: Belga