June 20, 2026, 4:34 p.mJune 20, 2026, 4:34 p.m
Up to 1,500 children are said to have been abused at the “Notre-Dame-De-Bétharram” institutions over a period of 40 years.Image: wikimedia commons
Between 700 and 1,500 children may have been victims of sexual, physical or psychological violence at a French school, according to a report by a non-governmental organization. From 1950 to the end of the 1990s they attended the “Notre-Dame-De-Bétharram” school near Lourdes and other institutions of this religious order.
This magnitude testifies to decades of “systemic” and “institutional violence” and refutes the theory of individual actions, according to the Louis Joinet Institute (IFJD), which carried out investigations for over a year. The results were published on Saturday.
The authors emphasize that the thesis of an “alleged tolerance at the time” towards violence within this private institution, which for a long time was characterized in southwestern France by its authoritarian reputation and “appreciation of toughness,” must be rejected. They interviewed almost 140 former students and actors. The latter ran several primary schools, middle schools and high schools in France and Africa. They speak of a general failure of control mechanisms on the part of both the church and the state.
Former prime minister and local politician François Bayrou was particularly accused of knowing about abuses within the facility without intervening, something he always denied. His children attended the Bétharram school.
The report recommends the establishment of a citizens’ court for the victims. The majority of the cases of abuse denounced in almost 250 reports have already expired due to the long period of time since the crimes took place – only two men, a layman and a member of a religious order, were charged.
The IFJD, a non-governmental organization specializing in transitional justice in conflict zones, is also supporting the creation of “a financial reparation mechanism,” alongside the 1.4 million euros in compensation that the congregation has so far paid to 48 victims.
The case came to light in 2023 through a flood of testimonies from former students on Facebook. (sda/afp)