少年虐待で起訴された元司祭、裁判で自身の性的虐待被害を告白　フランス

【リヨンＡＦＰ＝時事】フランスで1971～91年に当時7～14歳だったボーイスカウトの少年らに性的虐待を繰り返したとして起訴されたローマ・カトリック教会の元司祭（74）が15日、裁判で自分も少年の頃に同様の虐待を受けていたと告白し、被告側弁護人をも驚かせた。（写真は仏リヨンの裁判所に出廷したローマ・カトリック教会の元司祭ベルナール・プレナ被告）
　昨年７月に聖職者の地位を剥奪されたベルナール・プレナ被告は、仏南東部リヨンでボーイスカウトのリーダーをしていた間、少年たちを虐待した罪に問われている。
　リヨンで１４日から始まった公判で、被害者らが恐怖の体験を証言したのに続いて証言台に立ったプレナ被告は、「愛撫（あいぶ）」が禁じられていたことは分かっていたと告白した上で、衝動の抑制を助けてはくれなかったと教会を批判した。さらに、１５日の公判２日目には、自分も若者の頃に性的虐待を受けていたと初めて語った。
　被告は、リヨン教区で司祭と聖具保管係、神学生の計３人から繰り返し性的虐待を受けたと証言。被害に遭った夏の間に、同教区のミシェル・デュボ使徒座管理区長（当時）に手紙を書いていたことを明かした。
　被告はまた、自分の性的衝動について高位聖職者らに注意を喚起したにもかかわらず、治療を受けるよう指導されなかったとして、高位聖職者らの責任に疑問を呈した。１９６７年と６８年に治療を受けたものの効果はなかったと説明。「彼ら（高位聖職者）は私を救うべきだったのに、私を司祭にした」と主張した。
　被告によれば、ざんげを担当する司祭に「罪」として自分の行動や衝動について告白したこともあるが、「罪を許され、二度と行わないようにと諭されただけだった」という。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/01/17-12:48）

A defrocked French Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing dozens of boy scouts decades ago told his trial on Wednesday that he himself had suffered similar assaults in his youth, in an unexpected twist to his defence.
After confessing in court on Tuesday to caresses he knew were forbidden, after victims testified to the horrors they suffered, Bernard Preynat, 74, faulted the church for failing to help him deal with his own urges.
During the second day of the trial in the French city of Lyon, Preynat surprised even his own lawyer in raising for the first time in court the abuses he said he suffered in his youth.
He referred to a letter written in the summer to Michel Dubost, the apostolic administrator in Lyon, where he said he had been repeatedly sexually abused by a priest, a sacristan from his parish and a seminarian.
He had never revealed these details before being questioned by a police inspector in 2016.
I would not say I am surprised. These kinds of things happen in court. But if he had not spoken of it, it's perhaps for fear people think he is trying to clear himself, his laywer Frederic Doyez told AFP on the sidelines of the trial.
Without accusing the church, the former priest questioned the hierarchy's responsibility for not insisting he be treated even though they were alerted about his sexual urges.
They should have helped me... They let me become a priest, Preynat said, referring to fruitless therapy in 1967 and 1968.
He said he had told his confessor about actions and urges he described as a sin but the priest gave me absolution and encouragement to ensure I don't start again.
Several victims protested against what they said were attempts by Preynat to play down the events.
My wife caresses me. With him, it was (forced) masturbation. He touched me like a beast, recalled Stephane Hoarau, who was eight years old at the time.
The accusers were aged seven to 14 when the alleged crimes were committed between 1971 and 1991, when Preynat was a scout leader in Lyon.
The allegations against him sparked the biggest crisis in the French Church in decades and last year saw a cardinal convicted of covering up the alleged crimes.
Preynat was defrocked by the Church last July.
Former scouts have claimed he touched and kissed them and forced them into reciprocal fondling while they were in his care, including at camps. He denies ever kissing the boys on the mouth.
He said he had tried to commit suicide.