An emblematic figure in the fight against poor housing and homelessness, Abbé Pierre has, for several months, been accused of rape by several women. Last Friday, September 6, 17 of them spoke out to accuse him of sexual violence.
The facts mentioned in their testimonies would have taken place between the 1950s and 2000saccording to a report from the specialist firm Egaé.
On July 17, a first wave of testimonies targeting Abbé Pierre had already been published, casting a shadow over the hitherto impeccable image of the man who devoted his life to fighting poverty.
Among the alleged victims are Emmaus volunteersemployees of the establishments where Abbé Pierre stayed during his life, as well as members of families close to the famous priest.
Benjamin Lavernhe speaks after a long silence
Faced with the accusations, many personalities who worked with the former MP spoke out. But if Nolwenn Leroy spoke, Benjamin Lavernhefor his part, remained silent for a long time.
The actor who played Abbé Pierre in the cinema in 2023 obviously did not intend to speak. It's finally on the show Nice gesture broadcast on France 2 that the actor addressed the subject.
“I'm already thinking about the victims, there are 25 testimonies and it's terrible. Obviously, we feel a great betrayal, a great sadness. From astonishment. I'm looking for words, but it's hard to find them. Fear, because somewhere, it was a friend“, he confided under the watchful eye of the cameras.
It's going to take time to recover
Although the two men never crossed paths, the French actor said he became so immersed in his character that he felt like he had “a little known“Abbot Pierre.
“How could this guy who did so many extraordinary things behave so badly? And beyond! The duality of the human being, the ambivalence, it's always a shock“, he added.
And to continue: “To say to ourselves that we missed that and didn't see it, well, that's what's most terrible. So yes, it's going to take time to get over it“. Upsetting statements.
