The forgotten suicide victims of France's Catholic school abuse scandals
Stories of the abuse of pupils at Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram private Catholic school in south-west France have grabbed the headlines in recent months, and have been the subject of parliamentary debate and a high-profile report by Members of Parliament. But how many pupils and former pupils have taken their own lives after suffering abuse at this and other such schools? That question has been notably absent from the many debates sparked by the Bétharram affair. Yet there are many such cases. Mediapart has spoken to witnesses and loved ones, who tell of lives and families that have been torn apart. Sarah Brethes and Mathilde Mathieu report.
OlivierOlivier Codet first met N. in the playground of Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram private Catholic school in south-west France in September 1985 on his first day in Year 10. It marked the start of a year “in hell”, but also of an “unbreakable friendship”. “We were both a bit of a mess, our parents were sure it would do us good,” recalls Olivier, now 55 and a teacher in the Bordeaux area.
