Reformed Church mandates study on sexual and spiritual abuse

The Reformed Church has mandated an independent study on sexual and spiritual abuse. The study will examine cases that occurred within the context of the EERS. It will gather experiences of victims and their relatives. It will analyze structural and institutional factors. It will explore links between sexual and spiritual abuse. Based on this, scientifically grounded recommendations will be formulated for prevention, intervention, recognition and treatment. The study respects the federal structure of Reformed Churches in Switzerland. It will involve interviews with victims, relatives and church staff. It will include expert interviews, case analyses and discussion groups.

Participation of victims is voluntary, confidential and trauma sensitive. Scientific responsibility for methodology, analysis, conclusions, recommendations and final report rests with the research consortium. The EERS and an advisory group support the project consultatively and ensure access to relevant contexts and documents. The advisory group exerts no influence on scientific results. The study begins in October 2026. The final report is expected in spring 2028 and will be presented publicly. The Catholic Church in Switzerland previously commissioned a similar study by the University of Zurich whose results were published in September 2023. The study is conducted by Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW), Haute école de travail social, Institut de l’aide à l’enfance et à la jeunesse, in cooperation with Haute école de travail social Lausanne (HETSL), LaReSS.

The consortium brings research experience in institutional violence, sexual and spiritual abuse, participatory research and ecclesiastical contexts. The report of a pilot project counted 1,002 cases of sexual abuse between 1950 and 2022 involving 921 victims and 510 perpetrators. Historians say these figures represent only the tip of the iceberg.