Pope Leo XIV to speak with 7 abuse survivors

Pope Leo XIV will speak with seven survivors of sexual abuse as the National Independent Authority for Recognition and Reparation (INIRR) prepares to close its five-year initiative.

The INIRR, which began on November 8, 2021, has received requests for recognition and reparation from nearly 2,000 people. The body was established to provide survivors in France a way to seek acknowledgment, financial compensation, and psychological support outside the criminal justice system. According to the authority, it has issued more than 1,184 decisions granting financial or other forms of reparation, with survivors receiving an average award of €36,892.

The authority's work follows an official estimate that approximately 330,000 children suffered sexual abuse by clergy or others connected to the Church in France over seven decades. While various organizations have disputed this figure as a generalization, it remains the official count. During a press conference in Paris on September 22, INIRR president Marie Derain de Vaucresson stated that the authority's multidisciplinary approach provided lessons for both the Church and civil society. Hundreds of cases remain unresolved as the initiative nears its conclusion.