Independent French reparations agency, Instance Nationale Indépendate de Reconnaissance et de Réparation (INIRR), reported that it has provided financial reparations to over 500 victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy or leaders in the Catholic Church in 2023.

INIRR’s 2023 report revealed that over 60 percent of victims are men, averaging an age of 61 years old. At the time of the abuse, 51 percent of victims were between the ages of 11-15 years old, and 49 percent were between the ages of 6-10 years old. Most abuses occurred during youth events, catechism, in school or in priest’s homes.

INIRR was formed in 2021, a first-of-its-kind initiative formed by the Conference of Bishops of France in response to the CIASE report, which found over 216,000 victims of abuse in France from 1950-2020. INIRR is an independent body funded by the Conference of Bishops, relying solely on the diocese’s assets and private loans. The primary objective of the INIRR is to compensate victims who, given the statute of limitations, could no longer find relief in the courts. The organization also provides other forms of support based on what victims want, including dialogue with the Church, receiving a letter from the Church, providing their testimony and therapy. Similar organizations have been formed in the United States and parts of Europe, including Switzerland, to deal with the global crisis of sexual abuse perpetuated by the Church.

There have been reports of widespread abuse within the Catholic Church in Bolivia, Spain, Canada, Portugal, Argentina and the United States.