Following new accusations of sexual violence against Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007, the Foundation has announced the launch of steps to change its name.
A symbolic name change. The Abbé Pierre Foundation announced on Friday, September 6, that it had begun steps to change its name following the publication of new accusations of sexual violence against the priest, who died in 2007.
Permanent closure of the memorial site
In the same press release, the Emmaüs movement declared the definitive closure of the memorial site dedicated to the memory of Abbé Pierre, an emblematic figure in the fight against poor housing and exclusion, located in Esteville, in Seine-Maritime.
Seven weeks after the first revelations, Abbé Pierre, the “little father of the poor” long celebrated in France for his commitment to the most deprived, is today the target of 17 new testimonies accusing him of sexual violence, according to a report from the specialist firm Egaé sent to AFP on Friday.
“To date, at least 17 other people have been identified as having suffered violence at the hands of” the famous priest, according to the report, which mentions acts that could be described as rape, committed between the 1950s and the 2000s.
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