Notre-Dame de Bétharram Abuse Scandal: Congregation Admits Responsibility

Over 150 complaints of abuse spanning decades have emerged, prompting the congregation to launch a commission and create a victim compensation fund.

The congregation of Notre-Dame de Bétharram has acknowledged its responsibility for decades of abuse, including physical violence and sexual assaults, at its educational institution in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
More than 150 complaints have been filed by former students, with many allegations involving religious figures and lay staff; most cases are now legally prescribed.
A new independent commission will investigate the systemic causes of the abuse and collect testimonies from victims in various countries where the congregation operates.
The congregation announced the creation of a compensation fund for victims of prescribed sexual violence, financed by the sale of its properties in Lestelle-Bétharram.
The scandal has sparked broader discussions about institutional accountability, with victims from other schools coming forward and legal actions targeting complicity in covering up crimes.