TO VIMA Exclusive: Mother Breaks Silence over Clerheid Camp Rape Allegations

Nestled among the forests of Belgium’s Ardennes, the Clerheid School Camp has spent four decades cultivating an image of innocence.

The outdoor education center in Erezée promotes itself as a place where children learn “to live together” through nature, creativity and shared experiences.

Its educational philosophy is built around welcome, solidarity and respect, encapsulated in a promise displayed on its website: “If someone, whether big or small, has a tear running down their cheek, we stop to console them.”

For thousands of families, Clerheid has long been regarded as a trusted destination for school trips, holiday camps and outdoor education.

Since opening more than 40 years ago, the center says it has welcomed around 80,000 children.

On the European Youth Portal website, on the page featuring affiliated organisations, the description of the Clerheid Centre states that: “Some young people from Flanders or from other countries (France, Sweden, UK, Italy… and, the last years, USA, Israël, Lebanon, Senegal, Marocco, Taïwan…) also take part in our camps.”

In recent months, however, that reputation has been overshadowed by a widening judicial investigation.

Recently, a new rape complaint was filed against the founder and director of the center, adding to an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual offences involving minors.

The complaint follows an RTBF investigation broadcast earlier this year, which revealed that Belgian investigators were already examining several allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior involving the director.

Lawyers acting for the founder said the judicial investigation remains confidential under Belgian law and that neither he nor his legal team have yet had access to the contents of the latest complaint. They said he has not been questioned in relation to these new allegations and therefore cannot comment on allegations of which, they say, he has not yet been formally informed.

According to public service broadcaster for the French-speaking community of Belgium RTBF, the latest complaint alleges a child was isolated during a school trip, unknowingly administered medication and subsequently sexually assaulted.

Parents allege that their child was sexually assaulted by the director of the Clerheid center during a camp last summer, after having attended a “classe verte” there in February 2025.

The allegations remain under judicial investigation.

The founder has consistently and categorically denied any sexual misconduct involving a child. Through his lawyers, he rejects all allegations of sexual abuse, has not been charged with any criminal offence and continues to benefit from the presumption of innocence.

For one mother, however, the latest development bears similarities to other allegations that have since become public.

Speaking publicly to TO VIMA, Chloé (whose real name is being withheld to protect the identity of her son) describes a year that has transformed her family’s life.

The family has explored every possible avenue to them to ensure that this case received appropriate attention and moved forward, including engaging with the media, the Délégué général aux droits de l’enfant, and other relevant stakeholders.

The family told TO VIMA they want the case to progress and for all allegations to be fully and thoroughly investigated.

They added that they continue to believe the judicial process must be allowed to take its course.

Chloé says that before contacting journalists, her family had already begun searching for other families with similar experiences.

“We had already found other victims ourselves. We realized this wasn’t only our story.” Speaking publicly, she says, was never about publicity. “It was about opening Pandora’s box.”

“We’re talking about children. They often know something isn’t right, but they don’t have the words to explain it. We hoped that by speaking publicly other children, and other families, might finally feel able to speak too.”

A place parents trusted

Like many families, Chloé says she had every reason to believe Clerheid was a safe environment. Her son’s primary school had organized annual visits there for years.

Teachers enthusiastically promoted both the center and its founder. “For two months before the trip, the children didn’t talk about going to the camp,” she recalls.

“They talked about going to [the name of the individual against whom the allegations have been made].

“The adults around us all said the same thing: ‘He’s wonderful. He’s amazing.’ We didn’t know him ourselves, but everyone around us seemed to trust him.”

After returning from a school trip earlier in 2025, her son was reluctant to attend a summer camp at Clerheid. Like many parents, she admits she interpreted his hesitation as ordinary childhood nerves.

Only later, she says, did he tell her: “I told you I didn’t want to go. I knew why.”

“I love you”

Chloé vividly remembers arriving at the summer camp with her son. Almost immediately, she says, the founder recognized the child despite hundreds of campers being present.

“He crossed the whole field towards us.

“He hugged my son, kissed him and said several times: ‘I love you.’

“You try to convince yourself that perhaps that’s simply his educational philosophy. But it felt unusual.”

According to Chloé, the founder also pointed towards what she understood to be his accommodation.

Lawyers acting for the founder dispute that description, saying the structure referred to is not his personal living quarters but a centrally located welfare cabin used to care for children who become unwell during camp.

“He told my son: ‘My place is open to you day and night.'”, Chloe told TO VIMA.

She says she quietly reminded her son afterwards never to enter the accommodation alone.

The phone call that changed everything

The following evening, Chloé telephoned the camp. She expected reassurance. Instead, she says she was told her son had spent the previous night alone with the founder after feeling unwell.

“I asked: ‘Do you mean he spent the entire night alone with him?’ “They replied: ‘Yes, but don’t worry. Everything is fine.'”

Alarmed, the family decided immediately to collect him. Her husband drove to the camp. When father and son returned home, Chloé says her son’s first words left both parents frozen.

“He wanted to give me too much love during the night.

“I didn’t feel right with this.” She describes the moment as one where “your whole body freezes”.

“You don’t process it immediately. “You simply can’t.”

Claims of medication

Chloé says her son later told his parents he had been given two pills while staying at the camp.

“He said he was given one during the night and another the following morning. “After the first pill he became sleepy very quickly.”

TO VIMA has not independently verified those claims, which form part of allegations under judicial investigation. Lawyers for the founder say the substance referred to in some accounts was a harmless homeopathic remedy routinely used for children who were feeling unwell, and reject any suggestion that medication was administered for any improper purpose.

She says what struck her after hearing about the latest rape complaint reported this week was what she believes are similarities.

“What is striking to us is what appear to be recurring similarities between the accounts that have become public. The child feels unwell. The child is isolated. Medication is involved. Then the child wakes up feeling something isn’t right.”

“Our life became hell”

The next morning, Chloé says, her son struggled to wake up. After speaking with his psychologist and pediatrician, the family attended a specialized sexual violence centre, where medical staff advised police should be informed.

Since then, she says, the emotional consequences have touched every part of family life.

“Our life became hell.”

She describes a child who now struggles with everyday routines.

“He couldn’t go to the toilet alone.

“He couldn’t stay in closed rooms.

“During the heatwave we had to keep every window and every door shut because he believed this man might come back.”

Sometimes, she says, her son sleeps wearing his winter coat because “he feels it protects him.”

“There is no joy anymore.

“Our entire family talks about nothing else.”

Speaking to TO VIMA, the family allege that their son described a pattern of sustained psychological and physical pressure.

They say he told them he was repeatedly told, “I love you” and “You’re my brother”, before recounting what they describe as escalating unwanted physical contact, including prolonged cuddling, the man’s hands on his body, and kisses on his face and body.

More recently, they allege, he disclosed that the man touched his genitals beneath his boxer shorts and that he tried to push him away.

According to the family, these incidents took place before they fell asleep. “After that, we don’t know what happened next,” they said. “He stops explaining at that point.”

Questions over the investigation

Chloé is also critical of how she believes authorities have handled the case. She says police informed her early on that an investigation involving the director was already under way.

She alleges that during one interview an officer appeared skeptical from the outset. Those claims have not been independently verified by TO VIMA.

She says she believes investigators should move more quickly. “We want justice.

“We want the authorities to carry out a full investigation, to listen properly to children and to accelerate the process.”

Calls for temporary closure

Child protection organizations have already called for Clerheid to be temporarily closed while the judicial investigation continues.

The center remains operational while the director’s family has publicly rallied in his defense, backing him as a husband and father.

In a statement issued this month, Clerheid said the wellbeing and protection of children “have always been, are and will remain” its highest priority.

It said the founder is not present during children’s camps and has undertaken to leave the premises whenever activities involving children take place.

It stated: “The individual concerned is not present on the premises during the camps and has undertaken to leave their home, which is located near the school, whenever the association organizes activities for children and young people. This commitment is strictly observed.”

The center also says it has implemented all measures requested by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, continues to cooperate fully with judicial authorities and stresses that the accused remains presumed innocent.

Earlier, following RTBF’s investigation, Clerheid said it regretted the impact the broadcast had on its educational project, emphasizing that no judicial findings had been made and expressing full confidence in its founder.

TO VIMA contacted the Wallonia-Brussels Federation for comment. They stated: “This matter is currently the subject of a judicial investigation. In order not to interfere with that investigation, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation does not wish to comment at this stage.”

“Believe your children”

For Chloé, however, the reason for speaking publicly extends far beyond her own family’s experience.

She says she hopes other parents will listen carefully if their children describe behavior that leaves them uncomfortable.

“My message is simple: don’t be afraid.

“Listen to your children.

“Believe them.

“Children often don’t have the vocabulary to explain what happened immediately. Sometimes it takes weeks or months.”

She also hopes Belgian authorities will priorities children’s safety while the investigation continues. “If we’re serious about protecting children, then we have to act like it.”

As prosecutors continue examining the growing number of complaints, the judicial process will ultimately determine whether any criminal offences occurred.

For the families who have chosen to speak publicly, however, the wait has already reshaped their lives.

“The media,” Chloé says quietly, “became one of the only ways we felt we could make our concerns heard.”

The founder and director of the Clerheid outdoor education center denies all allegations. He has not been charged with any criminal offence. The judicial investigation remains ongoing.

Clerheid says it is fully cooperating with the authorities, that the individual concerned is absent whenever camps are operating, and that all children continue to be supervised under measures agreed with the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

TO VIMA has contacted Ecole de Clerheid and their legal representatives for comment.