Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Apart from words, little-to-nothing is done by French Catholic Church to protect kids, sexual abuse survivors tell RT

Apart from words, little-to-nothing is done by French Catholic Church to protect kids, sexual abuse survivors tell RT

The French Catholic Church must move beyond apologies and admissions of guilt to truly protect children and compensate victims, sexual abuse survivors told RT.

On Friday, the influential Bishops’ Conference of France (CEF) recognized that the Church bore “institutional responsibility” for scores of child abuse cases within its ranks.

The statement came a month after an independent inquiry led by former Council of State Vice President Jean-Marc Sauve estimated that 216,000 children were abused by priests, deacons and other religious workers between 1950 and 2020.

Arnaud Gallais, the founder of Prevenir et Proteger (Prevent and Protect), a support group for sexual abuse survivors, told RT the Church leadership's admission of responsibility was a “positive,” yet belated move.


Until recently, the Church “has viewed itself as being above the law,” and a sincere confession was the bare minimum of what the clergy had to do to address the crimes, he added.

Gallais was abused by a Catholic missionary, his distant relative, when he was between eight and 11 years old. His testimony was among many tragic stories chronicled by the Sauve Commission.

The Church's words of guilt and regret must now be followed by concrete steps to prevent further crimes, Gallais stressed, adding that bishops should pay compensations to the victims, many of whom still struggle with trauma. The campaigner said the French government must hold the Church accountable, forcing the clergy to “guarantee the safety of children.”

Another survivor, Francois Devaux, co-founder of La Parole Liberee (Liberated Word), a sexual abuse victims' association, was equally skeptical about the Church's will for actual change.

"It’s a good thing to make strong statements and accept responsibility. That’s what society expects. But, in the end, apart from words, it seems that nothing gets done."


Devaux, who was molested by a priest when he was an 11-year-old scout, said widespread crimes against children destroy the faith in the Catholic Church not just in France, but all over the world.

It is now up to Pope Francis to recognize the institutional responsibility of the Church “for all its crimes and offenses,” as well as their “systematic character and frightening scale,” Devaux told RT.

Luc Crepy, the head of the CEF anti-pedophile unit, said this week that the issue of compensations will be addressed as the Church decides on a method of quantifying how much should be awarded to the victims.

“Maybe in the next few weeks, we will be in a better position to give the figures. It is starting to cost several hundred thousand euros,” CEF Secretary-General Hugues de Woillemont told reporters.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×