A abuse scandal shaken at a school France – And could become a danger for Prime Minister François Bayrou (73)!
▶ ︎ At the Catholic boarding school Notre-Dame de Bétharram at the foot of the Pyrenees, teachers and supervisors are said to have sexually abused and tortured students for decades. In 2023, a number of people broke their silence, now a prominent victim was also expressed on the outrageous processes.
Das Katholische Internat Notre-Dame de Betharram
The daughter of the current head of government unveiled in one Interview With the French illustrated “Paris Match“Shocking details about the conditions on the Catholic Teaching institution. Among other things, Hélène Perlant (53) also told how it was severely abused by a priest at the age of 14 during a summer camp in the 1980s.
Trips of 120-kilo priest
An encounter with the Father Lartiguet, who died in 2000, was particularly traumatic: “One evening, when we unpacked our sleeping bags, Lartiguet suddenly grabbed my hair, dragged me several meters across the floor and hit and hit my whole body, especially in the stomach. He weighed about 120 kilos.” Perlant continues: “To put it openly: I fully dragged myself and was wet in my sleeping bag all night.”
The scandal could be particularly explosive for her father. According to media reports, Bayrou is accused of already knowing about the schools at the school between 1993 and 1997, but not doing anything. Several of his six children attended school, and his wife taught there in the 1990s Religion.
“It was a terrorist regime”
In the interview, Perlant tries to explain why the victims concealed their suffering for so long: “Bétharram was organized like a sect or a totalitarian regime, put psychological pressure on students and teachers so that they held their mouths.” It was ensured that those affected were ashamed. “It was a terrorist regime,” said the 53-year-old.
On May 14, Bayrou must testify before an investigation committee
Perlant assumes that, like many others, her father in the vicinity of the School did not understand what is going on there. Many adults have refused to see the truth in the eye because otherwise a world would have collapsed for them.
“As a family of family, tear my heart”
▶ ︎ His daughter never mentioned the incident towards him, said Bayrou on Wednesday. That she too has become victims of violence “tears my heart as a family of family”. The fact that such derailments could occur “is almost unbearable for me,” he added.
A parliamentary commission of investigation is currently dealing with the processes. Bayrou should testify in front of the committee on May 14th.