• The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase), chaired by the senior official Jean-Marc Sauvé, unveiled its report on Tuesday on the extent of child crime in the Church since 1950.

  • Victims' associations believe that we must go further in recognizing the atrocities committed.

  • They are in favor of financial compensation, but want it to be assessed on the basis of the damage suffered.

For too long, associations for the defense of victims of sexual abuse in the Church have had the impression of preaching in the desert. They hope that this will no longer be the case after the publication of the Sauvé report on Tuesday. This document, drawn up by the Independent Commission on Abuses in the Church (Ciase), estimates the number of minors victims of priests, deacons and religious since 1950 at 216,000. This number even climbs to 330,000 if we add the people assaulted. by lay people working in Church institutions.

An observation that calls for reparation measures, even if the trauma suffered by the victims can never be erased.

"What they want above all is recognition of the facts by the Church", explains Didier Ferriot, coordinator of the Collective of victims of sexual abuse in the Church.

The movement seems to be underway because Pope Francis expressed during the day his “immense sorrow” at the “appalling reality” revealed by the report.

The president of the French Bishops' Conference, Bishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, also expressed “his shame” and asked “forgiveness from each and everyone”.

"The Bishops' Conference must shut up and act"

But these words are considered insufficient by some representatives of the victims. "Above all, we wait for the bishops of France to validate the 45 recommendations of the report," said Didier Ferriot. "We want recognition of the responsibility of those who covered up the perpetrators of these crimes, who hushed up business", also declares Laurence Poujade, president of the Sentinelle association, which helps major victims of abuse in the religious communities. "The Conference of Bishops must be silent and act," says François Devaux, victim of Father Bernard Preynat. To go further in the test of truth, the associations are in favor of setting up concrete recognition mechanisms suggested by the Ciase, such as public ceremonies,liturgical celebrations commemorating the suffering inflicted, a memorial to the victims ...

If some of them want their attacker to recognize his abuses himself, the associations know that it will not be easy. “Either because the aggressor is not aware of the harm he has done, or because he does not want to expose himself to sanctions. It therefore seems more realistic to wait for a representative of the diocese to recognize the facts, ”said Laurence Poujade. “It is also necessary, as the Ciase recommends, that the Church clearly declares to the confessors and the faithful that the secrecy of the confession cannot derogate from the obligation, envisaged by the Penal Code, to announce to the judicial authorities the cases of sexual violence. And that the guilty priests are no longer only removed from the church where they perpetrated their atrocities, but that they no longer be able to exercise their priesthood, ”insists Didier Ferriot.

"We must individualize the calculation of the compensation due to each victim"

In addition to this global recognition, the associations want the victims to be recognized individually.

“Many of them cannot go through the justice box because the facts are prescribed.

Or because justice could not convict the author for lack of sufficient evidence.

This very often happens in cases of rape or sexual assault, ”emphasizes Laurence Poujade.

Based on this observation, the Ciase recommends the creation of an independent body, outside the Church, which would be responsible for recognizing or not the quality of victim.

This independent body would also be responsible for setting compensation corresponding to compensation for damage. This repair can not be fixed, believes Ciase. An opinion shared by the representatives of the victims: "We must individualize the calculation of the compensation due to each victim up to the level of the damage suffered. Because some are in real social distress, others have psychological problems… ”, estimates François Devaux. An opinion shared by Didier Ferriot: "We must differentiate between the victims who have managed to have a more or less normal social life and those who, for example, receive the RSA or the disabled adult allowance". La Ciase also recommends that the compensation paid to victims be financed "from the assets of the aggressors and the Church of France".

First measures expected in November

In March, the Conference of Bishops of France had already announced the payment, from 2022, of a "financial contribution" to victims which could be either individualized, "while not exceeding a ceiling" or "lump sum".

The episcopate also voted to create an “ad hoc endowment fund”, open to donations from bishops, priests and the faithful.

But we will have to wait until next November for the first measures to be announced by the Conference of Bishops of France and the Conference of Religious Men and Women of France resulting from the Sauvé report.

One thing is certain: victims' associations will closely monitor the measures taken: "We know that they cannot be immediate, but this historic moment must be a real turning point in the lives of victims," ​​warns Laurence Poujade.

Society

Pedocriminality in the Church: What to remember from the Sauvé report

Society

"We must dare to look at the truth", "I fear amalgamations" ... Catholics react to revelations on sexual abuse in the Church

  • Church

  • Religion

  • Society

  • Pedocriminality