Nantes prosecutors have opened an investigation into historical sexual abuse at the Saint-Stanislas Catholic institution after a 46-year-old man took his own life. The victim, a former boarding student at the school, reportedly disclosed to family members that he had been sexually assaulted by a supervisor during his time there.
Antoine Leroy, the Nantes public prosecutor, confirmed the investigation was initiated following a letter from the victim’s family to the director of Catholic education in Nantes. The letter detailed the man’s account of abuse, which he said contributed to his decision to end his life in July 2024.
The Catholic education authority in Loire-Atlantique had previously acknowledged receiving multiple testimonies from victims regarding abuse at Saint-Stanislas spanning from the 1960s to the 2000s. The recent suicide has intensified scrutiny of the institution’s past.
Local police in Nantes are now leading the inquiry. As of now, no additional complaints from other families have been formally received by the prosecutor’s office, though the school’s history suggests the possibility of further allegations.
