The Church of Lyon put online Thursday a website dedicated to sexual abuse.

The Church of Lyon, tarnished by the Barbarin affair, put online Thursday a website dedicated to sexual abuse for "all those who need to hear, understand, get involved, be an actor of prevention ". Entitled "Acting together against sexual abuse", this page hosted by the site of the Diocese of Lyon includes "mandatory information for all pastoral actors and Catholic structures of the diocese", told AFP Auxiliary Bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard, project manager.

"A whole educational device"

The diocese of Lyon has been shaken in recent years by the affair surrounding the actions of Father Bernard Preynat. His alleged sexual assault on young scouts in the Lyon region triggered the resounding trial of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, sentenced in March to six months in prison suspended for failing to denounce him to justice. Faced with this scandal, both the Vatican and the Church of France have taken a series of measures to combat pedophilia.

"In the diocese, everyone was talking about these cases, but it was too subjective, we were in the emotional, and few knew the law.The idea is to put on the side of the victims, because defending too much institution can help to destroy it, "explains Emmanuel Gobilliard. In an introductory letter, Bishop Michel Dubost, local apostolic administrator since the retreat announced by Cardinal Barbarin, invites "the entire Christian community" to accompany this "great action".

The site offers "a whole educational device" and videos of victims, police officers, a prosecutor, psychiatrists specializing in abuse, the president of the conference of bishops of France, a priest or a theologian. "We wanted to give the floor to others without any censorship, with victims and specialists in each field," said Mr. Gobilliard, regretting that the leaders of the victims association La Parole Libérée, at the origin of the Barbarin trial, did not wish to join. And this is not only for the Catholic world, everyone is invited to connect. "The more these videos are viewed, shared, the more the ecosystem will change, so that together we react, we act," urged Mr. Gobilliard, telling AFP that the device would soon be presented to the Conference of Bishops of France .