6,500 reports recorded by a telephone platform

During 17 months, a vast call for testimony made it possible to identify 6,500 calls from alleged victims or witnesses of pedophile acts, committed according to the accusers within the framework of the Catholic Church.

Since the mid-1980s, numerous cases of sexual abuse have come to light within the Catholic Church, with investigations even showing their systemic nature. And this work continues. The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church (Ciase) thus launched a call for testimony for 17 months via a telephone platform, in connection with France Victime. The initiative ended on October 31. And there are more than 6,500 calls from alleged victims or witnesses that have been identified, reports Le Parisien. This maddening assessment was presented at the General Assembly of Corref (structure representing institutes and religious congregations) by the president of Ciase, Jean-Marc Sauvé. The latter will be held by videoconference until Friday, November 13.

Rather old facts, mostly concerning underage boys

What we remember from these statistics: the calls"are mostly (passed by) men", at 62%, and rather old. 30% of callers are in fact over 70 years old and 50% are between 50 and 69 years old. Only 17% of callers are between 30 and 49 years old, and 2% are under 30 years old, reported the president of Ciase. As for the facts denounced, they are for the majority old: 50% of the cases would have taken place in the years 1950 and 1960, and 18% in the years 1970. Then come the 80s, for 12% of the cases, and the years 1990 , for 7% of cases. Finally, the events which would have taken place in the 2000s would represent only 3% of cases and in 2010, 5.7%. We also learn that the attacks would have been perpetrated in great majority "on minors": 87% of cases, among which, a small third would concern children between 6 and 10 years and a large third, children between 11 and 15 years. As for adults (13%), a third would be religious in training or seminarians.

Jean-Marc Sauvé, relayed by Ouest France, declared that "in only 14% of cases, a legal complaint was filed". The places of the attacks were for 34% of the schools, for 21% the catechism and the chaplaincies, and for 12% the youth movements or the summer camps. La Ciase will present its results and its recommendations in the fall of 2021. La Corref and the French Bishops' Conference say today that they are working for a moral and financial recognition of the suffering of the victims.

Remember that if you are a victim or witness of a pedophile act, you can call 116006, line open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (free call and services).

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