Faced with 33 accusations of sexual violence targeting Abbé Pierre, the Emmaüs movement decided, during an extraordinary general assembly, to remove all mention of its founder from its logo. This decision is part of an approach of respect and recognition towards the victims.
Meeting this Tuesday, the Emmaüs movement voted 91% in favor of removing the mention “founder Abbé Pierre” which until then appeared in small print under the association’s logo, a blue square decorated with a sun.
“It’s a clear result”commented Bruno Morel, president of Emmaüs France. He added: “Without denying what we owe to Abbé Pierre, we must continue to work in the service of vulnerable populations.”
A decision motivated by the revelations
Last September, the board of directors of Emmaüs France proposed this withdrawal, after the publication of a new series of testimonies accusing Abbé Pierre of sexual violence. These accusations, numbering 33, were collected in three separate reports produced by the Egaé firm, commissioned by the Emmaüs movement and the Abbé Pierre Foundation.
The first report, published in July, caused shock waves within the association. Since then, Emmaüs has strengthened its commitment to the victims and taken several significant decisions, including the permanent closure of the place of memory dedicated to Abbé Pierre, in Esteville, in Seine-Maritime.
-An image that is now difficult to bear
In a press release, Emmaüs stressed that Abbé Pierre will “still part of our history”more than “his image can no longer be honored publicly.” Created in 1949 by the latter, the association is the oldest of the structures founded on his initiative. It has since diversified its actions to help vulnerable populations.
The Abbé Pierre Foundation, created in 1987 to combat poor housing, is also considering changing its name.
Abbé Pierre accusations of rape sexual assault emmaüs
