Jacques Nuoffer leaves the SAPEC Group – Swiss Catholic Portal

The activist for the cause of victims of sexual abuse in the Church Jacques Nuoffer has resigned from the SAPEC Group. For 14 years he was one of the main figures of this struggle in Switzerland.

“Jacques Nuoffer was warmly thanked for his pioneering work. He resigned shortly before his 80th birthday,” indicates the SAPEC Group in a press release dated November 18, 2024. The departure was announced as part of the Group’s extraordinary general meeting, which was held in Lausanne on November 7.

Jacques Nuoffer is the co-founder of this association which supports people abused in a relationship of religious authority. “For 14 years, he was able to draw attention to sexual abuse committed in the Catholic Church throughout Switzerland, while many victims were supported by volunteer members of the committee,” recalls the press release. The former vice-president and co-founder, Marie-Jo Aeby, had already left the committee in spring 2024.

Supporting those affected remains the top priority

Unanimously, the members elected a transitional committee which will assume the tasks with shared responsibility. It is made up of Marie-Madeleine Zufferey-Sudan, former interim vice-president; by Myriam Caranzano-Maître; by Marc Larive; Hubert Varrin (treasurer) and Gabriella Loser Friedli (secretariat and media). This committee was tasked with finding the members – including a president – ​​of a lasting committee.

Supporting those affected remains the top priority, notes the SAPEC Group. “It is also important to collaborate with the dioceses, the Roman Catholic Central Conference of Switzerland (RKZ), the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs (CDAS), so that the interfaces between the cantonal victim support services ( LAVI), planned for the beginning of 2025 can be designed from the start as smoothly as possible.” (cath.ch/com/rz)