Swiss abbey showed "deficient" management of sexual abuse

The Abbey of Saint-Maurice in Switzerland has failed to deal with the sexual abuse it has witnessed over the last few decades. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Tasked with shedding light on this past, an independent working group has found major dysfunctions. + Why Switzerland is losing its religion The group, led by Neuchâtel Attorney General Pierre Aubert, published its report on Friday. Based on archives and eyewitness accounts, it listed "a significant number" of acts of sexual violence of all kinds committed between 1950 and 2022. The Abbey has long adopted a "defensive posture" to preserve its reputation. Its leaders sometimes tried to "cover up" the facts, for example by moving the incriminated canons, and sometimes tried to "trivialise" or "minimise" these abuses. The working group also highlights the "laxity" in terms of supervision and "insufficient guidance and support" for members of the community. This climate may have encouraged ...