After the Catholic communities, it is the turn of the largest Protestant Church in France to join the processes of support and reparation for victims of sexual violence of the Recognition and Reparation Commission (CRR). The United Protestant Church of France (EPUdF) thus formalized on Thursday November 7 its membership of the CRR, created in November 2021 following the publication of the Ciase report on sexual violence in the Catholic Church.
“After the development of prevention brochures against child crime and against spiritual and sexual violence, after the establishment of an anonymous telephone listening cell, the use of a third party which knows how to support people who are victims of old acts imposed itself”, welcomes the EPUdF in a press release, which highlights “the experience” acquired by this commission over the last three years. “By this adhesionwe can still read, The EPUdF is strongly committed to the restoration of victims, whose speech has been suppressed for too long. She also undertakes to recognize her responsibility. »
Skills beyond ecclesial affiliation
The membership, signed at the end of October, was concluded quickly, following a reflection started before the summer and the first contacts with the CRR at the end of August. For Pastor Emmanuelle Seyboldt, president of the EPUdF, it was the expertise of the CRR that was highlighted. “We are too small a Church, in which we all know each other, to implement a similar commissionshe explains. We must look for skills where they are, without stopping at the ecclesial denomination, especially since the CRR is independent. »
Any victims who come into contact with the CRR will thus be able to follow a restorative justice process, and will be able to request financial compensation of up to €60,000 depending on the seriousness of the violence suffered. Only training will be provided in the coming weeks to members of the CRR to familiarize themselves with the structures specific to this Protestant Church.
Few known files
“There are no or few differences in the files: in terms of abuse of power, whether it is a pastor or a priest who abuses his position, whatever the community or whoever holds authority, human nature is quite similar, believes Pastor Emmanuelle Seyboldt. What differentiates us is that our functions are elective and the mandates are limited in time. »
If for the moment the number of files known to the EPUdF is counted “on the fingers of the hand” according to its president, the interest in working with the CRR also lies in the possibility of “give victims a visible sign that they can go see an independent structure” which could recognize the responsibility of the Church in the violence suffered in the past.
