SAINT-DENIS (FRANCE)
Emmaus International [Montreuil Cedex, France]
September 6, 2024
Emmaus International, Emmaus France, and the Abbé Pierre Foundation reveal other serious offences committed by Abbé Pierre and announce several measures related to Abbé Pierre’s role within their organisations.
Last 17 July, our three organisations (Emmaus International, Emmaus France, and the Abbé Pierre Foundation) publicly shared the stories of several women who reported actions by Abbé Pierre, occurring between the 1970s and 2005, that fall into the categories of sexual harassment or sexual assault. These revelations gave rise to tremendous outrage within our organisations. Employees, volontariat workers, and volunteers from some of our member organisations were affected by Abbé Pierre’s behaviour, as were some young women outside of Emmaus.
Following these revelations, the Emmaus movement set up a support structure managed by the group Egaé. This structure received many personal accounts of inappropriate behaviour by Abbé Pierre. Seventeen of them are presented in a summary drawn up by Egaé, and concern sexual violence committed by Abbé Pierre against girls and women. These accounts add to the seven made public in July 2024.
In alignment with the transparency that the Emmaus movement has upheld since the beginning out of respect for the victims, the 4 September summary of the new accounts received by Egaé has been made public. It is available on the websites of our three organisations. The violence and extreme gravity of some of these new testimonies have set off another shockwave within our organisations
Excerpt from the summary in Egaé’s report:
“Most of the accounts describe behaviours that resemble those identified in the first stories communicated to Egaé [in July 2024]: unsolicited breast touching and forced kisses. Several accounts describe serious offences of another nature: repeated sexual contact with a vulnerable person; repeated instances of sexual penetration of a person over 18 years of age; and sexual remarks, forced kisses and other sexual contact with a child. The actions reported took place between the 1950s and the early 2000s.”
We reaffirm today our full support of the victims. We commend their courage and thank them for their trust. We believe them and we stand with them.
The support structure set up in July will remain active and available through the end of 2024. All victims will be offered a session with a psychologist specialised in psychological trauma to benefit from expert support and guidance, if needed, toward more long-term assistance. Those who wish to speak with leaders of the Emmaus movement will be welcomed.
The Emmaus movement decided, from the moment the first testimonies were shared, that it is its duty to make these accounts public—to denounce the actions committed, to learn from the past, and to take essential decisions that are now even more urgent following the latest wave of revelations.
After having brought together the executive committees of the three organisations to reflect collectively, the Emmaus movement has taken several decisions that will be put into practice as soon as possible. They concern Abbé Pierre’s legacy, his place within the organisations, and the longevity of the movement’s missions:
- The Abbé Pierre Foundation has decided to change its name and has begun the necessary paperwork.
- The Emmaus France board will submit a proposal for the removal of “Abbé Pierre, founder” from the Emmaus France logo at an extraordinary general assembly that will take place in December.
- The Esteville remembrance space dedicated to Abbé Pierre will remain closed for good. The future of the centre will be discussed collectively by its member organisations over the next few weeks.
- Under the guidance of Emmaus International, a group of independent experts will be commissioned to apprehend and explain the flaws in the movement that allowed Abbé Pierre to behave as he did for more than fifty years
Our movement knows what it owes to Abbé Pierre. He inspired our organisations and led them for many years. He was a tireless advocate who sparked waves of solidarity. He is a historic figure for the significance of his actions for good.
Now, we must also confront the unacceptable suffering that he forced upon others. We must take decisions: first, out of respect for the victims who spoke up; but also for the volunteers, employees, and companions of the Emmaus movement, as well as its supporters and donors. Their daily work for the movement, which is both invaluable and necessary, would be profoundly tarnished if nothing changed.
The Emmaus movement combats all forms of violence. Its duty is to denounce all unacceptable acts, no matter who their authors are.
Our combats are an essential part of our response to societal emergencies. We will pursue, ever more defiantly, our struggles against poverty, inadequate housing, exclusion, and indifference. These missions are brought to life through the Emmaus companions, employees, and volunteers who strive every day to fulfil our commitment: “Serve first the one whose suffering is greatest”
(Emmaus Universal Manifesto, 1969).
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