Victim of sexual abuse holds Catholic Church liable for failing to prevent abuse

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On December 13th 2018 Liesbeth Zegveld and Lisa Komp argued that the Catholic Church is responsible for sexual abuse of children that was able to take place within its walls because those responsible failed to act. They represent Mr. Prinsen who holds the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (in Dutch: Congregatie van de Heilige Geest) liable for damages he suffers because he was sexually abused by a father in the Congregation's boarding school between 1964-1965. Even before Prinsen's abuse, the father had abused another child and had been caught. He was nevertheless allowed to go back to teaching at the seminary after a short break. There, six additional children were abused, including the claimant.

You can read more about the court hearing (in Dutch) in newspaper NRC, 'Het misbruik was geen ongelukje, maar zat in het systeem'

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