Expanding Investigation into Past Abuse Allegations

The ongoing investigation into the Notre-Dame de Garaison Catholic school in the Hautes-pyrénées region of France has been broadened with the addition of two new complaints. These complaints, one alleging violence and the other complicity, will be incorporated into the existing inquiry, according to the Tarbes prosecutor’s office.

Julien Michel, the acting public prosecutor, stated that while the alleged incidents may fall outside the statute of limitations, the investigation will thoroughly examine the facts. This development underscores the commitment to uncovering the truth, regardless of the time elapsed since the alleged offenses.

Details of the New Allegations

According to Me Joseph Mesa, the lawyer representing the complainants, one complaint pertains to acts of aggravated violence committed in 2017 by a supervisor. The second complaint targets the current director,alleging acts of complicity of an offense by concealment. These allegations add a new layer of complexity to the investigation, potentially implicating individuals in positions of authority.

Victims’ Collective and Historical Context

These new complaints follow the deposition of numerous testimonies by a collective of victims of the Notre-Dame de Garaison school on March 26 at the Tarbes judicial court. These testimonies detail alleged physical, sexual, and psychological abuse spanning several decades. Philippe Sarlat, the initiator of the collective, noted that the oldest accounts date back to the late 1950s, highlighting the long-standing nature of these allegations.

The formation of the Notre-Dame de Garaison victims’ collective was inspired by the Notre-Dame de Bétharram affair, another Catholic school in the neighboring pyrénées-Atlantiques department. The Bétharram case involves approximately 200 complaints related to physical and sexual violence, demonstrating a broader pattern of alleged abuse within Catholic institutions in the region. These cases have contributed to a growing awareness and scrutiny of historical abuse within the Catholic Church, prompting calls for greater accountability and openness.

The collective of victims of Notre-Dame de Garaison was launched in the wake of the Notre-Dame de Bétharram affair… the object of some 200 complaints for physical and sexual violence.

The Broader Context of Abuse Allegations

The allegations against Notre-Dame de Garaison and Notre-Dame de Bétharram are part of a larger global reckoning with historical abuse within religious institutions. Recent statistics indicate a significant rise in reported cases of abuse, prompting investigations and reforms across various denominations. For example, a 2024 report by the French Self-reliant commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) estimated that over 330,000 children were sexually abused within the Catholic Church in France between 1950 and 2020. These findings have led to increased pressure on the Church to address past wrongdoings and implement measures to prevent future abuse.