Sex Abuse Litigation

All institutions

Catholic Church in France

5 reports indexed, newest first.

October 2021

  1. Sauvé report estimates 330,000 children abused in French church since 1950

    The CIASE found roughly 216,000 minors were abused by clergy, rising to about 330,000 including lay church workers, and described a systemic failure.

    Investigation Catholic Church abuse crisis (worldwide)France, ParisReported by NPR

April 2021

  1. France's top court confirms Cardinal Barbarin's acquittal

    The Court of Cassation upheld an appeals ruling that cleared Barbarin of failing to report abuse.

    Verdict Catholic Church abuse crisis (worldwide)France, ParisReported by Deutsche Welle

March 2020

  1. French priest Bernard Preynat jailed for abusing Scouts

    A Lyon court sentenced the defrocked priest to five years in prison for sexually assaulting boy scouts decades earlier.

    Conviction Catholic Church abuse crisis (worldwide)France, LyonReported by France 24

June 2019

  1. Independent commission on French church abuse opens

    The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE), led by Jean-Marc Sauvé and commissioned by French bishops, opened a call for testimony.

    Investigation Catholic Church abuse crisis (worldwide)France, ParisReported by France 24

March 2019

  1. French Cardinal Barbarin convicted of failing to report abuse

    A Lyon court gave Cardinal Philippe Barbarin a six-month suspended sentence for not reporting abuse by priest Bernard Preynat; he appealed.

    Conviction Catholic Church abuse crisis (worldwide)France, LyonReported by The Guardian