Triangle Victims - Church - State

From hope to BASTA: why victims are now turning to politics

On 4 March, victims of clerical sexual abuse and representatives of the Church will sit down together with Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden. The timing is notable: the meeting takes place one day after CANVAS broadcasts the follow-up to Godvergeten. An exceptional situation. Not because trust has been restored, but because many victims are no longer placing their hope in the Church, but in the state.

The current impasse has its origins in 2023, when the VRT series Godvergeten triggered a societal shockwave. Tens of thousands of Belgians renounced their baptism. Trust in the Church was dealt a heavy blow, but hope also arose that structural change would finally become possible.

That hope took shape in September 2024, when a small delegation of victims met Pope Francis in person during his visit to Belgium. He subsequently replied in writing to their letters and expressed the wish to continue the dialogue.

A second meeting followed in November 2025 in Rome, this time with Pope Leo. In the months between, numerous meetings took place with Church representatives, in which frustration mounted steadily due to the absence of concrete action.

Little wonder, then, that the meeting with Pope Leo culminated in an open act of frustration. Eleven of the fifteen victims present handed him on the spot a letter requesting the removal of Archbishop Terlinden.

Shortly thereafter, the victims requested a meeting with Minister Verlinden. That meeting is now taking place, almost six months later.

On 4 March, victims and Church will therefore sit down together with the federal government. According to the victims, that is where the answer lies: with the government, not with the Church.

BASTA: enough is enough

From the ongoing frustration arose a clear BASTA movement. BASTA stands for one message: enough is enough. After years of talks with no tangible results, victims are choosing to direct their energy toward politics instead of the Church.

MAVEK: a broad coalition with concrete demands

Parallel to this development, MAVEK was formed, the Victims’ Association for Clerical Abuse. This independent alliance brings together victims from various earlier groups and represents a much broader constituency. After years of fragmentation, they now speak with one voice and address their demands directly to the government.

MAVEK advocates for a structural, legally enshrined solution based on three key measures:

• an independent ombudsman for victims
• an official legal victim status for clerical abuse
• a reparations fund, financed by the Church but managed outside its influence

Journalists who wish to understand or report on this new mobilisation of victims can contact Nicolas Verzele about MAVEK via verzelenicolas@gmail.com - +32(0)492773963