“The first facts revealed in July concerning Abbé Pierre were already very serious. This time they are even more so, with repeated attacks, involving a small child, and occurring over an even longer period of time.”The General Delegate of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, Christophe Robert, admits with seriousness. The three entities of the Emmaus movement have made public seventeen new testimonies accusing the founder of the Emmaus movement of sexual violence, committed from the 1950s until two years before his death in 2007, at the age of 94.
“We are in shock, very sad, very angry and we offer all our support to the victims who had the courage to testify”Robert continues, in unison with the general delegate of Emmaus International, Adrien Chaboche, and the general delegate of Emmaus France, Tarek Daher.
A new stage in the process of “total transparency” begins, initiated in 2023, after the movement received and then listened to the testimony of a woman abused by Abbé Pierre in the 1980s. A first milestone was to make public on July 17, seven testimonies collected following an internal investigation by the independent firm Egaé, and to announce the launch of a call for testimonies. Moments of information for employees and volunteers and moments of debate were organized.
“It was not an open secret. We knew, of course, that Abbé Pierre had had an emotional and sexual life. But everyone fell out of their seats when the violence was revealed.”Mr. Chaboche testifies. Psychological listening units have been created and requested, although there are no figures yet. A collective reflection was immediately announced. “This will happen, but the boards of directors of the three entities have already taken stock of the serious events revealed on September 6, and have drawn the consequences.”Daher announces.
“Do not weaken our fight”
The Abbé Pierre Foundation, founded in 1988 and recognised as a public charity in 1992, is to change its name. “The decision is difficult and painfulChristophe Robert points out. “It is not a question of erasing the memory of Abbé Pierre, who did immense things in our organisations and for the country. It was taken because of the gravity of the events, out of respect for the victims and in order not to weaken our very important fight against poverty and poor housing.”
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