An 81-year-old Parisian priest has been charged with the rape of a minor.

An 81-year-old priest, attached to the Diocese of Paris, was formally charged on Monday with repeated rapes of a parishioner whom he allegedly assaulted from the age of 12. The assaults reportedly occurred in various settings, including scouting activities and World Youth Day events. Three other victims have also reported similar incidents to the authorities.

The statute of limitations is blocking three complaints

The statute of limitations, however, protects the religious leader from the accusations made by three of the four plaintiffs. Only the allegations made by the first victim, whose abuse allegedly began at age 12, allow for legal proceedings. This situation illustrates once again the difficulties faced by victims of sexual abuse committed within a religious context, often revealed decades after the events.

This case is part of a series of revelations about sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in France. The Diocese of Paris has not commented on the measures taken against the priest in question. The investigation is ongoing to establish the precise chronology of the assaults reported by the complainant, whose case remains legally admissible.