In recent months, new sexual abuse allegations have surfaced against Abbé Pierre, a national icon of France, revealing a pattern of misconduct spanning decades. According to France 24, nine additional individuals have come forward with accusations of sexual violence, including one case of rape of a minor and incidents of incest, bringing the total to 33 testimonies directly concerning abuses committed by Abbé Pierre.
The latest report indicates that "the facts described took place from the 1960s to the 2000s, mostly in France and sometimes abroad," with cases of abuse extending over several decades, as reported by France Info. Victims include minors who suffered violence, molestation, threats, sexual invitations, or rapes. This brings the number of known abuse victims to 57, according to Le Monde.
One testimony recounts an "act of sexual penetration on a minor boy," corroborated by another account, though the victim did not wish for his testimony to be detailed in the report. Another accuser, who was working for Emmaüs France at the time, explained that Abbé Pierre allegedly touched her breasts and "brutally introduced his tongue into her mouth," Closer reports.
"All this put together paints the picture of a predator who commits extremely serious things," said Tarek Daher, General Delegate of Emmaüs France, according to Liberation. Daher added that the reports show "manipulation, strategy, threats, blackmail, pressures, and sometimes what may fall under an organization," reflecting the serious nature of Abbé Pierre's actions.
The French Bishops' Conference (CEF) expressed being "horrified" by the new revelations. "The accumulation of facts now known perpetrated by this priest, who was so admired, horrifies," stated the CEF in a statement published on Monday. The CEF has "encouraged anyone assaulted by Abbé Pierre to approach, if they wish, one of the listening or support devices of the Church" or that of Emmaüs, including a dedicated phone number and email addresses in partnership with France Victimes.
In light of the serious accusations, the Church in France intends to continue its efforts to support victims and ensure total transparency about past facts, ANSA reports. The CEF has opened access to its archives regarding Abbé Pierre, without waiting for the 75-year period after his death in 2007, and is cooperating with judicial authorities while making its archives available to the Historical Commission set up by the Emmaüs movement, according to France 24.
Numerous testimonies have emerged regarding Abbé Pierre's alleged actions, including intimidation and threats used against victims, raising concerns about the duty of vigilance within institutions, as noted by France Info. Victims report being touched on their breasts and genitals, with numerous accounts detailing forced kisses, situations of vulnerability, and mechanisms to silence them.
One accuser, referred to as "HH," a family member of Abbé Pierre, reported suffering "sexual contact on her breasts and mouth at the end of the 1990s" from him, highlighting the incestuous nature of the abuse. Another victim stated, "I told myself—all those girls had lived the same experiences as me," Closer notes.
According to Closer, Abbé Pierre allegedly took pictures with his Polaroid camera and then stored them in a drawer containing a pile of similar photos. Nathalie Longuet-von Zelowitz, a psychologist and judicial expert knowledgeable about serial crimes, stated: "It looks like trophies." She further explained, "One can think of a collection of victims, a need to immortalize the moment to replay it later."
Many others did not want to appear on the list or did not want to sign their testimony. At Egaé, the firm conducting the study, several victims indicated "having spoken about the situation to their relatives at the time but say that no one believed them."
Memorials to Abbé Pierre are being closed, including the memorial site in Esteville, as his foundation changes its name in response to the serious allegations, France Info reports. The Emmaüs movement is grappling with these revelations, and there is a growing call to understand how such actions could have continued for so long without intervention.
To shed light on the dysfunctions that allowed Abbé Pierre to "not be troubled," a commission of independent experts, led by sociologist Céline Béraud, has been established by Emmaüs, according to France 24. The work of the commission is expected to last two years. "We must now understand how such an omerta can be put in place," said Daher.
Despite the volume of testimonies spanning decades, there is a lack of comprehensive assessment of Abbé Pierre's behaviors, and no trial is pending against him after his death, Le Monde notes. These revelations mark a new escalation in the actions attributed to Abbé Pierre, whose real name was Henri Grouès.
The Church and Emmaüs movement are now focusing on supporting the victims and investigating the extent of the abuses. "Deeply affected by these revelations," the CEF stated that it "thinks with immense sorrow" of all the victims and encourages anyone who has been assaulted to seek help through the Church's support mechanisms.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq