Abbé Pierre’s nephew, Guy Tuscher, spoke in the press about his uncle’s actions. He evokes “a real disappointment in relation to the man”, and incomprehension.
Accusations and striking testimonies even within his family. This Monday, October 7, the nephew of Abbé Pierre, Guy Tuscher, 71 years old, gave an exclusive interview to France Bleu Isère in which he claims to know that his uncle did not respect his vow of chastity, however, he was not aware of the accusations of sexual assault or rape. As a reminder, the founder of Emmaüs, who died in 2007, is accused of sexual assault and rape after the testimonies of 24 women. A real blow for his nephew who readily admits that “everyone was captivated by the myth of Abbot Pierre. And who was the man behind it? Well, man, we find out now,” he concedes at the microphone of France Bleu.
Asked about the revelations of the Emmaüs Foundation this summer, reporting acts having taken place between 1970 and 2005, the nephew of Abbé Pierre, Guy Tuscher recognizes that the moment of the announcement “was violent. But , in fact, I knew.” And he obviously wasn’t the only one. According to him, “we, in the family, all knew that our uncle’s sexuality was problematic. My mother had spoken to us about it. On the other hand, the sexual assaults as they were described, no, we did not know about them. “, he explains.
And several questions still haunt Guy Tuscher’s mind; he does not understand his uncle’s actions, and does not seek to attenuate them. He speaks rather of a “disappointment in relation to the man. Why did he take the risk that one day this would become known and destroy all the work he had accomplished humanly and politically? Me, I support these women who have told what they suffered,” he continues.
“Everyone knew there was a problem, the Church, the State”
For the septuagenarian, such behavior is “unacceptable”. Even more so because of the status of Abbot Pierre, a respected man, perhaps even revered by some. “We know that the victims took a long time to speak. We can consider that there is astonishment, but in fact, without the #MeToo movement, who would have believed them?” he asks. In his responses, Guy Tuscher did not spare the Church, which he accused of having been aware of some of his uncle’s actions, in the same way as the Emmaüs association: “Everyone knew that he “There was a problem, the Church, the State, which did not want to give him the Legion of Honor, and even Emmaüs, which had no interest at the time in making this known”, says -he.
As a reminder, the Emmaüs investigation report includes extracts from direct or non-direct testimonies over eight pages. The stories span between the end of the 1970s and 2005. Of the seven women who testified anonymously, six reported alleged facts that could be qualified as sexual assault. The last denounces sexist remarks. The report reveals a man of the Church who “does not stop himself from seeking to satisfy his impulses, feeling authorized to take reprehensible actions by the law of the time”. “I’m used to defending myself, but here it was God. How do you do it when it’s God who does this to you?” asks one of the women who says she is a victim.