Taizé

Activity Report 2024 of the “Reports Reception and Monitoring Team”

Benoît — 2025-04-12T07:30:00Z

As part of the mandate of the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team is the mission to report publicly on its activities once a year. Here is the activity report prepared by this team for the year 2024.

Activity report in PDF format


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[1]

[1] Revised version from April 2025 with the addition of a paragraph on miscellaneous cases.

Report 2023 of the “Reports Reception and Monitoring Team”

Matthew — 2024-03-06T15:00:00Z

The mandate of the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team includes the requirement to produce a public report on its activities once a year.

In November 2022, the Report 2019-2022 had been drawn up by the community for the previous three years. This time, therefore, the activity report is the first to be drawn up by the team now made up of three members external to the community.

Activities report in PDF format


en

Hotlines

Benoît — 2024-02-13T14:51:16Z

What are we referring to?

Paolo — 2023-12-11T09:15:55Z

What are we referring to when we say “sexual violence”, “spiritual abuse” or “emotional abuse”?

Sexual violence can cover a wide range of acts, defined by the law, to which full consent by one of the parties has not been given.

Spiritual abuse occurs when the freedom to believe and act independently is denied. A relationship of trust is exploited to satisfy the desires of one of the parties.

Emotional abuse is a destructive psychological behaviour pattern shown by a person in a position of power, authority or trust. It involves an ongoing attack on a person's self-esteem, which can take the form of neglect, constant criticism and comparison, as well as deprivation of affection. Abusers do not respect the psychological, emotional, spiritual or physical integrity of others.

What can increase the risk of abuse and transgression of boundaries?

An asymmetrical relationship between people, particularly in terms of dependency and power.

Unclear structures in which rights and duties are not defined.

Priority given to protecting the reputation of an institution or an individual.

The law of silence imposed by the aggressor and/or the institution.

What does it mean to act “with consent”?

It means being aware of the needs and wishes of others and responding to them with care. It requires verbal and non-verbal consent (in certain situations also in writing).

Saying nothing, or not saying no, does not mean that consent has been given. The question is not to know if a person is saying no, but rather if that person has said yes.

Consent given once can change and must therefore be asked for again and again. A person who has once said yes can change their opinion. A person can withdraw their consent at any moment. Every form of activity must stop in such cases.

Safeguarding menu

Information for parents with children

Paolo — 2023-12-11T09:15:48Z

When you come as a family, remember that as parents your stay in Taizé is different from a stay as a single person. The program is designed for families, parents with children aged between 3 and 14.

1. What do I need to know if I come as a family to Taizé (in Olinda)?

• The place where the families are welcomed is called Olinda, in the village of Ameugny, a 10-minute walk from Taizé.

• This area is reserved for parents, children, young volunteers and leaders. All of them wear wristbands to identify themselves.

• All activities and meals take place in Olinda.

• Families can come and take part in the prayers in Taizé.

• As parents/carers, you are responsible for your children at all times. When you are in Taizé for prayer, keep your children close to you and make sure that they do not wander alone in the church or outside.

• Between Taizé and Olinda, take the signposted path rather than the road, for greater safety.

• If your children want to go to Oyak, they must be accompanied.

• Night cover is provided. You will be informed of this at the beginning of the week

2. Who is responsible for leading the meetings in Olinda?

The brothers' community leads the meetings, working in collaboration with the sisters of St. André, young volunteers from different countries and young people who are in Taizé for the week.

3. How does Taizé ensure the proper conduct of all these different parties and the protection of children?

Brothers, sisters and employees undergo ongoing training to raise awareness of safeguarding issues. They are assisted by resource persons specialized in these questions.

Each volunteer follows a program that begins with an initial talk about the reasons for their application and - if they are accepted - they sign a code of conduct. Volunteers are monitored by a reference person in Taizé (brother or sister). At the beginning of their stay, they receive compulsory training in questions of safeguarding.

Young volunteers who help out in Olinda meet with the brothers. After an initial talk, they sign a code of conduct and receive awareness training. Every day, one of the leaders meets the young people who help with the activities to take stock of the situation and to discuss any difficulties that may arise.

4. As a parent, what do you need to watch out for?

Your duty of care and supervision to accompany and protect your children is the same as at home. People from outside the meetings circulate in the villages of Taizé and Ameugny.

If you feel uncomfortable with a situation in Olinda, you can always choose to keep your child with you. Please just let the brother leading the animation in Olinda know.

5. Who should I contact if I have questions about child protection?

If:
• a child tells you about a “strange” situation;
• you see something disturbing in the relationship between an adult or young person and a child;
• your child tells you of a difficult situation that another child has told them about;
• you are shocked by remarks or games that seem discriminatory, racist, ambiguous or sexually explicit or expressions out of the child's normal character.
Don't stay alone with the situation. Don't try to deal with a situation alone. Speak with the brother in charge of Olinda. At La Morada or El Abiodh you can contact the brother in charge of safeguarding, or you can reach him 24 hours a day on +33 749 04 75 85. This number is displayed in all the houses and meeting places. You can also send an e-mail to taize.safeguarding protonmail.com. People who are not part of the community will read it and get back to you within 24 hours.

Safeguarding menu

Information for youth aged from 15-17 years old

Paolo — 2023-12-11T09:15:34Z

1. Do I need parental authorization?

Yes, it's compulsory! The downloadable form must be completed by your parents and kept by your group leader.

2. Will I be staying with my group or friends during my stay?

Yes and no! Sharing groups are formed at the beginning of the week, bringing together young people from different groups for morning and afternoon activities. Each sharing group includes at least one adult leader. You can meet up with your friends during free time and meals.

3. How will I be housed?

You will be staying with your group and perhaps with other young people your age. Your group leaders will stay in the same area, but not in the same dormitory. In dormitory accommodation , men and women are separated.

If you have any questions about your accommodation or feel uncomfortable about anything, you can speak to your group leader.

4. What do I do if I'm not at ease with an activity in the program or if I have a problem with a leader?

Talk with the leader of your own group first. You can also talk to the brother who set up the sharing groups.

5. Who can I talk to when I feel or notice something disturbing, or when someone tells me something?

It's really important you don't try to deal with the situation on your own. You can talk to an adult you trust, such as the person in charge of your group. At La Morada or El Abiodh you can contact the brotherin charge of safeguarding, or you can reach him 24 hours a day on +33 749 04 75 85. This number is displayed in all the dormitories and meeting places. You can also send an e-mail to taize.safeguarding protonmail.com. People who are not part of the community will read it and get back to you within 24 hours.

6. If I have a problem with the person in charge of my group, who can I talk to?

You can tell your parents or a trusted adult, or come to La Morada to talk to a brother or to El Abiodh with a sister. You can also phone +33 749 04 75 85 (24 hours a day) where a brother will be there to listen to you.

7. I'm already back home and I need to share something difficult that happened to me or that I witnessed in Taizé. What can I do?

Il y a plusieurs possibilités :
• speak with someone you trust from the group you came with.
• write to the community community taize.fr or to the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team: taize.safeguarding protonmail.com.
• contact a national hotline (for example: UK +44 800 1111, the Childline service of the NSPCC; US +1-800-422-4453 to reach the ChildHelp hotline, or local church safeguarding teams.)

8. What do I need to know about my personal data?

Protect your personal data!

Be careful not to share your personal details (photos, personal image, contact details, address, social network profile, etc.) with people you're not sure about or on the internet. Protect yourself as best you can from the disclosure of personal information.

See also: What are we referring to?

Safeguarding menu

Understanding better the structures at Taizé - General information

Paolo — 2023-12-11T09:15:27Z

1. Who is responsible for leading the meetings at Taizé?

The brothers' community leads the meetings, working in collaboration with various communities of sisters, young volunteers from different countries and a few paid employees.

2. Will I remain with my group or friends during my stay and how will I be housed?

Yes and no! Sharing groups are formed at the beginning of the week, bringing together young people from different groups for morning and afternoon activities. You won't necessarily be with your friends, but you can meet up with them during free time and meals. In the dormitory accommodation, men and women are separated. You can bring your own tent.

If you have any questions about the week's program or your accommodation, you can come to the welcome center (Casa) and we'll try to find a solution together.

3. Who are the volunteers in Taize?

Taizé does not work with qualified youth workers, but with young volunteers who stay for several weeks or months. They take responsibility for certain tasks and cooperate with the brothers and sisters. It is the volunteers who lead the various working groups, which include the young people who come for a week.

4. Can I speak with the brothers and sisters?

You can meet the brothers and sisters during the Bible presentations or in the places set aside for this purpose, in particular La Morada (the brothers) and El Abiodh (the sisters).

At the end of evening prayer, some brothers are present in the church for talks. They are not able to provide long-term support, but are available to listen on an occasional basis.

The volunteers who stay longer in Taizé are accompanied on a regular basis; the young women by the sisters and the young men by the brothers, designated by their respective communities.

Some brothers and sisters are present from time to time to supervise the work teams led by the volunteers.

5. How does Taizé ensure the good conduct of its brothers, sisters, volunteers and employees with regard to the safeguarding questions?

Brothers, sisters and employees undergo ongoing training to raise awareness of safeguarding issues (for example: meetings with victims/survivors, sessions on the effects of sexual violence, risk assessments of the different work spaces, etc). They are assisted by resource persons specialized in these questions.

Brothers, sisters, volunteers and employees must provide a copy of their police record.

6. Which teams are responsible for the smooth running of the meetings and for safety?

All aspects concerning the meetings and security are covered by brothers, sisters and teams led by volunteers. Please follow their instructions to ensure that the week goes as smoothly as possible.

Here is a sample of these teams:

The “Meeting support” teams functioning during the day and the night. These two teams are made up of a lead brother, volunteers and young adults taking part in the week's meetings They can be identified by a badge.

These two teams ensure that the week in Taizé runs smoothly.

The “Meeting Support” day team can be reached in La Morada.

The “Meeting Support” night team can be reached at Tent 2 from 21.30 to 23.30.

During the night, an on-call service is available for urgent problems. If necessary, the person on duty can call the emergency services or the doctor on duty.

The first aid point is open at certain times in the day.

7. How are the issues of sexual violence and spiritual, physical or emotional abuse dealt with in Taizé?

Those who welcome you are mindful of these issues. We acknowledge the courage of those who have come forward to disclose what they experienced and we take their disclosures seriously. Following the testimonies that disclosed acts of aggression and abuse committed by brothers in Taizé, Brother Alois took several steps that are documented in an open letter published in 2019 and in the Safeguarding Report 2019-2022 published on the Taizé website.

The community collaborates with the Commission for Recognition and Reparation and adopts its recommendations and decisions.

Each week, a meeting is held during which brothers talk about what has happened in Taizé. This meeting is intended to be a forum for discussion on how to react and act faced with this problem in Taizé, in the Church and in society.

See also: What are we referring to?

Safeguarding menu

Safeguarding policy

Paolo — 2023-12-11T09:15:20Z

In Taizé, we commit ourselves to

• have a dedicated safeguarding team comprised of representatives of the different communities present in Taizé and also people from outside of the Taizé community.
• increase our focus on safely recruiting, training and supporting all people involved in organising the meetings, whatever their level of responsibility, so that they have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
• display clearly in several locations in Taizé, the information about whom to contact in the event of anything relating to abuse or aggression.
• respond to any reports or legitimate concerns relating to safeguarding individuals by taking appropriate protective measures.
• listen to and take seriously any person who reports abuse or aggression, whatever the type of abuse, wherever and whenever it happened.
• act responsibly towards people who may represent a danger for others.
• ensure that the safeguarding policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and reviewed annually in February by an interdisciplinary group involved in the meetings and then validated by the independent Reports Reception and Monitoring Team.
Safeguarding menu

Reporting an incident

Paolo — 2023-12-11T08:42:53Z

1. Who can I talk to when I feel or observe something disturbing, or when someone confides in me? What should I do if I myself am a victim of sexual violence/harassment or spiritual abuse? What should I do if I notice this in the people around me during my stay in Taizé?

Don't stay all alone. Always seek help from the following safeguarding services. You can choose from the following options:

• call directly the lead safeguarding brother or send an sms on +33 749 04 75 85. 24h/24. The brother will put those who express the wish immediately in touch with a female listener.
• come to La Morada or Casa and contact the lead safeguarding brother.
• email taize.safeguarding protonmail.com - (the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team will respond to you within 24 hours)
• get in touch with independent safeguarding organisations in your own country via their helplines (for example: UK +44 800 1111, the Childline service of the NSPCC; US +1-800-422-4453 to reach the Child Help hotline).
• you can also contact a safeguarding officer in your local church.

2. What is the role of the brother who replies to the emergency number?

• to listen to the person with empathy and total discretion.
• to put those who express the wish immediately in touch with a female listener.
• make the connection with the people best placed to support the person.
• to inform the legal guardians in the case of minors.
• to inform the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team in writing of each situation (while preserving anonymity) so that they can give advice on the best way to act.

3. Who receives the messages sent to the safeguarding address?

The address taize.safeguarding protonmail.com is managed by the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team, a group of three people who are not members of the Taizé Community*: Cécile Jubert, Psychotherapist specialising in the subject of sexual violence (France), Noël Rosé, Honorary lawyer (France), and Alzira Fernandez, psycho-spiritual counselor (Portugal).

*mandated by the Taizé Community and the Association de l'Accueil à Taizé (the legal entity for the meetings in Taizé), under a delegation agreement.

4. What is the role of the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team?

• To handle reports of physical, emotional or spiritual abuse, situations of overbearing control, sexual assault or violence of any kind, which may have occurred during meetings in Taizé, or in meetings run by the Taizé Community, whoever the alleged perpetrators may be.
• Listening to victims without any bias and taking their concerns seriously.
• File a criminal report in all cases where required by law.
• Helping victims-survivors to undertake, if they so wish, a legal process of compensation and/or recovery.
• Forward the report, in anonymised form, to the organisers of the meeting in question and propose measures to try and prevent any recurrence of the incidents reported.
• Always provide victims with friendly and comforting assistance, according to their needs or wishes.

This team undertakes to work independently, to follow up any reports received as quickly as possible and to maintain the confidentiality of its work.

Data is received and stored throughout the process in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and the French Data Protection Act (Loi Informatique et Libertés).

5. I'm already back home and I need to share something difficult that happened to me or that I witnessed in Taizé. What can I do?

There are several options:

• speak with someone you trust from the group you came with.
• write to the community community taize.fr or to the Reports Reception and Monitoring Team taize.safeguarding protonmail.com.
• contact a national hotline (for example: UK +44 800 1111, the Childline service of the NSPCC; US +1-800-422-4453 to reach the ChildHelp hotline).
• speak with a local church safeguarding officer.

Safeguarding menu

Report 2019–2022

Benoît — 2022-12-12T09:00:00Z

In June 2019, Brother Alois, the prior of Taizé, published an open letter entitled “Ascertaining the truth” in which he explained the accusations that had reached the community concerning acts of sexual assault of which three brothers were accused. Among other things, he said:

“It is possible that this statement may encourage other possible survivors to make themselves known. We will listen to them and will remain alongside them in the steps that they choose to take. We are convinced that it is only by bringing to light these acts that, with the assistance of persons outside the community, we will help to protect effectively all those who show us their trust by coming to Taizé.”

This report, drawn up in December 2022, aims to take stock of what has been undertaken in Taizé since 2019, as a milestone in a process that will continue. It covers the period from June 2019 to November 2022.

Report 2019-2022