Thousands of minors have been victims of pedophile priests since 1950 in France. The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) has counted about 10,000 cases, said its chairman, Jean-Marc Savet. Reported by France Bleu.
The commission took into account 6.5 thousand people who agreed to testify, as well as those who refused to talk about what happened and those who have already died. The National Institute for Health and Medical Research helped CIASE collect data: at the commission’s request, it began counting cases of sexual violence nationwide.
It is noted that the final report, which the commission will present in October, will present both the numerous evidence it has collected and recommendations for dealing with the situation – for example, on the amount of payments to victims that the French Catholic Church plans. It is worth noting that CIASE was created on an initiative from within the church.
A full-scale investigation of the problem of pedophilia in the church began several years ago after a large-scale scandal about “Pedophiles in robes”. In June last year, the commission knew only about 1.5 thousand cases, but even then it allowed us to speak of a whole system of sexual violence by priests.