A new "guidance council" to fight against sectarian aberrations

The fight against sectarian aberrations knows no respite in times of pandemic.

"

You have new gurus who are using the pandemic

to preach so-called measures of well-being, but which are measures of psychological subjection, or even the capture of money or goods"

, denounced Tuesday on FranceInfo Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship.

To read also: Marlène Schiappa: "The sectarian excesses are again a real priority"

In this perspective, the minister indicated to multiply by ten the means of the interministerial mission of vigilance and fight against sectarian excesses (Miviludes), and to place at its head the magistrate Hanène Romdhane.

A new guidance council was also launched on Tuesday, made up of "

experts"

such as George Fenech, the psychiatrist Marie-France Hirigoyen and again the philosopher Cynthia Fleury.

Already in existence, this council had been inactive for several years.

Asked by

Le Figaro

, Caroline Duchêne, communication advisor to Marlène Schiappa, explains that this version 2.0 aims to give back an "

impetus

" in the fight against sectarian excesses.

Psychiatrists, associations, parliamentarians specializing in the issue and administrative representatives, such as Bercy and the Ministry of Justice *, many functions are united around the question: "

Members will be able to hear victims, be in direct contact with associations and make recommendations so that action can be taken in the area of ​​public policies

”.

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Collaborate with associations and victims

This new council is particularly focused on a wider collaboration with associations, which now feel more integrated into the system, as the spokesperson for Unadfi, an association which has been fighting against sectarian aberrations for more than 45 years, tells us. .

After a first meeting organized by Marlène Schiappa yesterday morning by video conference, the president of the association felt a "

real desire

" on the part of the minister "

to make this work productive

".

During these meetings, which will take place "

very regularly

", the victims can be heard to bring their gaze deemed "

very precious

", explains Caroline Duchêne.

The advisor takes in particular the example of anonymous testimonies on the Church of Scientology or those on the sect The Family.

"

Recently, a young man coming out of a sect sent an open letter to the President of the Republic and to Marlène Schiappa to offer his help

", she tells us.

To go further, the Ministry of the Interior will propose in the coming weeks a call for projects of one million euros.

The associations will therefore be able to propose actions and be financed: “

Before, we had 100,000 euros to support the initiatives of the associations.

Obviously, throughout the territory, we quickly arrive at very small amounts.

The allocated resources have therefore been multiplied by ten

, ”said Marlène Schiappa's advisor.

“If people join these beliefs, it is because they are not well supported in the current system and by the state, we are aware of it.

"

Caroline Duchêne, communication advisor to Marlène Schiappa

Read also: Extreme fasting, raw food intake, instinctotherapy: the follies of the new food gurus

A prevalence observed in the health sector

The aim of the recommendations of the Orientation Council is to improve public policies already in force.

For the minister's office, a prevalence of these drifts has indeed been observed in the field of health: "

out of 3000 reports in 2020, 40% concern the field of health

", detailed Marlène Schiappa on

FranceInfo

.

For Caroline Duchêne, "

if people join these beliefs, it is because they are not well supported in the current system and by the State, we are aware of it

", she says.

Pregnant women, people with cancer ... According to the minister's office, "

women tend to join sectarian aberrations

", due to "

financial insecurity

".

"

We are trying to have a global reflection on better care in order to have better support for these people,

" concludes the advisor.