Communique – GCPS audit report on the Missions Etrangères de Paris

Download the GCPS audit report on the Missions Etrangères de Paris

This audit report, covering a period of 75 years (1950-2024), inventoried cases of sexual violence from the dual perspective of French criminal law applicable at the time and current safeguarding standards, analyzed the responses to these situations and examined past and current practices in terms of prevention and management.

It also puts forward recommendations for strengthening the protection of individuals and embedding a robust safeguarding culture within MEP.

Safeguarding refers to the adoption of all reasonable measures to prevent sexual violence from occurring, to protect people, particularly children and adults who are vulnerable to this harm, and to respond appropriately when harm does occur.
The methodology is based on interviews and an in-depth literature review. A total of 196 interviews were conducted in the 15 countries where the MEP operate. Nearly 4,000 documents were studied, including the minutes of the Permanent Council, archive files and the personal files of priests.

Taken together, these analyses have enabled GCPS to draw up a detailed picture of the way in which the MEP have managed alerts concerning incidents of sexual violence, responded to these incidents, accompanied the victims and implemented preventive measures in the area of safeguarding.

Between 1950 and 2024, 63 incidents of sexual violence were recorded in 14 countries. They involved 46 priests out of the 1,491 who practiced during this period, which represents around 3%. Of these 63 incidents of sexual violence, some involved behaviour that did not comply with the principles of safeguarding and French criminal law, while others involved behaviour that did not comply with the principles of safeguarding alone.

These 63 incidents are divided into 8 incidents, dating from the period 1950-2000, which have been confirmed and 55 allegations, in the period 1960-2024, which have not been confirmed. For all these incidents, the auditors identified 17 internal MEP investigations, 7 police investigations and 20 diocesan investigations.

Between 2020 and 2024, five reports were forwarded by the MEP to the French justice system. The MEP are currently in direct or indirect contact (via a diocese) with 9 victims. All of these people have been offered legal proceedings or reparation.

The MEP are aware, as this report indicates, that the actual number of victims is probably higher than the 63 people identified in the incidents of sexual violence reported. The MEP take this reality very seriously and undertakes to continue to listen, support and protect all victims, known or as yet unknown, as soon as the MEP becomes aware of them, i.e. after they have come forward either to the MEP (protection@missionsetrangeres.com), to an ecclesiastical body (e.g. https://www.reconnaissancereparation.org or via the diocesan listening units), or to a non- confessional body dedicated to victims (e.g. https://www.france-victimes.fr).

This commitment is a key element in the development of the culture of protection established within the MEP.

Other recent initiatives illustrate the desire of the MEP to improve their practices, such as the adoption of a charter of ethics for pastoral conduct in 2020, and since then, the dissemination of reporting channels, the appointment of a General Delegate for Protection and a deputy, the creation of a Council to assess alerts and allegations (5 members, including 3 non-religious people with expertise in the legal and ethical fields), the adoption of a procedure for handling alerts, the holding of training courses for the MEP Council and for all the Society’s brothers, and the appointment of Local Protection Officers.

The report makes several recommendations to strengthen this dynamic. These include developing a global safeguarding plan applicable to all members of the MEP, generalizing training on these issues for all priests, employees and volunteers, carrying out preventive actions in the communities, and communicating more about the initiatives that have been implemented, such as the Evaluation Council and the reporting procedures. Risk mapping also needs to be developed to anticipate vulnerabilities and manage them more effectively.

This audit constitutes a milestone study on the management of allegations of sexual violence within the MEP, examining in particular the responses provided, the support given to victims and the resources deployed over the years. It also sheds light on current training and practices, both at Rue du Bac and abroad. This report is part of MEP’s desire to strengthen their commitment to a safe and protective environment in all their missions.

In conclusion, this report marks an important stage in the life of the Missions Etrangères de Paris. The Superior General receives it with gravity, sadness and indignation for the harm endured by the victims.

It is his fervent hope that, in accepting the external criticisms contained in this report, he and the MEP will face up to what may have gone wrong and take the necessary remedial action.

He pledges that this report will pave the way for a future marked by wider communication on preventive action and safeguarding practices at the MEP. The MEP wish to raise awareness among all its members and the communities with which they interact to protect vulnerable people and to provide the victims with concrete actions in the event of danger or threats. This commitment places the MEP firmly within a proactive approach to ensuring the safety and dignity of all people in the countries where they are present.

They are aware that this respect for people is the first testimony that the Gospel asks of them.

Contact:

media-communication@missionsetrangeres.com

Laurent Porta : 06 15 02 01 98