Scale of abuse by Abbé Pierre becomes even more staggering. 12 new cases.

Abbé Pierre: One year later, Emmaüs continues its transparency efforts and completes the reparations program

Since the first revelations in July 2024 concerning the sexual violence committed by Abbé Pierre, the Emmaüs movement has chosen transparency and attention to the victims, whose courage we salute and whom we thank for their trust. This choice has resulted in the implementation of a unique system of listening, support, sociological and historical investigation, and reparations, designed to welcome the victims' voices, provide them with support, and build a sincere acknowledgment of the facts, in all their dimensions.

Through this approach, Emmaüs pursues a dual objective: to confront the reality of the violence committed throughout his life by Abbé Pierre, and to place support for victims at the center of all its actions.

A listening service maintained without interruption

As soon as the first testimonies were published in the summer of 2024, Emmaüs entrusted the Égaé group with the implementation and management of a listening service and the collection of victims' voices as part of a call for testimonies. This resulted in the publication of three summary documents, the last in January 2025. Following this initiative, Emmaüs then decided to maintain a listening service for Abbé Pierre's victims who had not spoken out in response to the call for testimonies (helpline activity report January-July 2025). It is within this framework that 12 new testimonies have been received since January 2025, seven of which concern individuals who were minors at the time of the events, aged between 10 and 17. These testimonies are in addition to those already collected between 2024 and 2025. One of these led to a report to the courts due to the seriousness of the reported events, which implicate third parties, including two people, now deceased, who had been close to Abbé Pierre and who held positions of responsibility in a local Emmaüs organization.

Each victim interviewed can benefit from psychological support, the opportunity to participate in support groups, and, if they wish, a discussion with the movement's leaders. This support system, managed by the Égaé group, will remain active for as long as necessary, to allow anyone concerned to come forward, while fully respecting their anonymity and their own pace. This work of listening, recognition, and reparation has always been, and will always remain, the priority of the Emmaus movement.

Launch of a financial reparations program jointly with the Church

One year after initiating this recognition process, Emmaus and the French Bishops' Conference (CEF) jointly decided to establish a financial reparations program for Abbé Pierre's victims, which will be managed by the Recognition and Reparation Commission (CRR). This decision was previously approved by the Emmaus International Board of Directors and the General Assembly of Emmaus France. This program will be supplemented by the commitment made by the Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation (Inirr) to cover reparations for the three victims of Abbé Pierre who have already contacted it. These two organizations are specialized and completely independent.

This program, operational from September 2025, will be entirely funded by the Emmaus movement's own funds and those of the CEF. No donations to the Emmaus movement will be used to finance these repairs. The financial effort jointly assumed by the Church and Emmaus is based on a principle of shared responsibility: from 1954 onward, Abbé Pierre became a public figure associated both with his priesthood and his role in the founding of Emmaus.

The amounts paid will be established completely independently by the INIRR and the CRR, based on each individual and according to the institutions' criteria. Strict guarantees are provided regarding the protection of anonymity, the independence of the evaluation of applications, and the non-publicity of the procedures.

Recognition of Emmaus's historical responsibility

For decades, the Emmaus movement has benefited from the figure of Abbé Pierre, whose image has powerfully contributed to the notoriety and legitimacy of the fight against extreme poverty. Revelations in recent months have revealed that this universally respected public figure had also committed very serious acts of violence. For Emmaus, this reality is now part of its founder's story.

The establishment of the compensation program

The implementation of the financial reparations system is thus a logical continuation: it extends the duty of transparency with a duty of reparation, in all its dimensions—moral, psychological, and material. It therefore reflects both the consistency of our approach towards victims and our responsibility as an organization co-founded by Abbé Pierre and closely associated with his image for many years.

A connection between reparation, remembrance and research

This work of transparency does not stop at institutional recognition or compensation. Emmaüs has entrusted the Independent Commission for Studies on the Violence Committed by Abbé Pierre (CEVAP), led by sociologist Céline Béraud and hosted by the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS), with the mission of analyzing and seeking to understand the mechanisms that allowed Abbé Pierre to commit violence for decades with complete impunity.

This independent research process began in February 2025. For the Emmaus movement, understanding these mechanisms is essential to prevent any recurrence of this phenomenon. Its report is expected in early 2027.

An unprecedented approach in its scope and consistency

For the past year, Emmaus has chosen to simultaneously pursue two strong ambitions: to take victims' voices into account and to fulfill its institutional responsibilities. Listening has been followed by support; recognition has been followed by a rigorous sociological and historical investigation; and the shock of the revelation of the facts has been followed by a desire to repair. None of these aspects is sufficient on its own, but together, they form an approach that we aim to be comprehensive and coherent.

It also responds to a moral imperative: to recognize that Abbé Pierre's victims, long ignored, must now be listened to, believed, accompanied, and supported.

These choices allow the Emmaus movement to remain faithful to the ideal of justice that founded its commitment. A new phase is now opening, with a complete system at the service of victims, who can use each of its components as much as they wish or feel the need.

Source

Context- the Church considered him a menace from 1940s onwards.  His fame protected him.