CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN FRANCE (1950-2020)

FINDINGS OF A SOCIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

Since the mid-1980s, cases of sexual violence involving religious leaders have become increasingly well known. This growing media coverage has mainly focused on the sexual abuse of young children within the Roman Catholic Church. In 2018, under pressure, church authorities in France set up a commission of enquiry: the CIASE (Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church). The CIASE commissioned sociologists from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research to characterize the population that has been abused by members of the Catholic clergy from 1950 to the present day, and to study the social and institutional logics that favour the emergence of this violence and explain the institution’s lack of reaction to these repeated scandals. This article summarizes the conclusions of this work, focusing on the case of violence perpetrated against minors.