The Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation (Inirr) is ready to receive the first requests from victims of pedocrime in the Catholic Church, it announced this Thursday, February 24, the objective being to set up a "
restorative justice
" on a case-by-case basis.
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The creation of this structure had been decided by the Conference of Bishops of France meeting in Lourdes in November after the shock report by Jean-Marc Sauvé on the extent of sexual violence against minors since the 1950s. It is intended for victims assaulted in Catholic settings such as catechism, scout camps, teaching, etc.
Its management was entrusted to the jurist Marie Derain de Vaucresson, former Defender of Children.
Its composition is still in progress, but the first requests for recognition and/or reparation can now be sent to a specific email address (contact@inirr.fr), via the inirr.fr website set up this Thursday, according to a Press release.
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Objective: to establish a “
restorative justice or restorative justice, which consists in making the victims dialogue with the author of the offence.
A way to allow the aggressors to become aware of their actions and the victims to find appeasement
”, underlines the Inirr, which specifies that each response will be “
unique in nature and decided on a case-by-case basis
”.
Its operation and the procedure to follow are also specified.
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Each request for compensation will be followed by a "
referent
" (lawyer or psychologist), in charge of "
listening to the person
", who "will
build his request with him and will strive to collect
" information on "
the facts and the harm
”.
This referent will draw up a “
written summary
” taking into account “
the traumatic consequences
”, the “
needs
” and “
specific requests
” of the victim, and will send it to a “
college of experts
”.
The latter (12 volunteers) will make a decision: "
strong, symbolic word
", "
mediation proposal
", or even, if necessary, "
financial compensation
”.
In the latter case, the financial request will be forwarded to the “
Selam
” fund, the Relief and Fight against Child Abuse Fund set up by the Episcopate to collect contributions from bishops and dioceses.
He announced a month ago that he had raised 20 million euros, a first sum promised to compensate the victims.
Another body, the Recognition and Reparation Commission (CRR), chaired by Antoine Garapon, is for its part intended for victims of attacks committed in religious institutes or congregations.
The Inirr and the CRR have planned to set up a “
common portal
” to facilitate the transmission of requests received to one or the other.