[5][6] In 2019, the commission stated that 3,000 children in France were sexually abused by Catholic clergy and officials since 1950 and that there was an average of 40 victims per year.

[7][8] In its final report, published on 5 October 2021, the commission concluded that in fact, around 216,000 children had been abused by clergy during this time.

When including sexual abuse committed by lay members of the church, such as teachers at Catholic schools, they estimated 330,000 child victims.

[9] After the publication, the archbishop of Reims, Éric de Moulins-Beaufort claimed that Catholic priests were not obliged to report sex abuse confessed to them under confessional secrecy.

However, French law states that anyone aware of a sexual crime against a minor must report it to the authorities.