The majority of his victims were minors. As part of the trial in Vannes, Brittany, close to 200 suspected victims, ranging in age from 18 months to 70 years old at the time of the alleged crimes, will provide their testimony on Monday. Many hope that the four-month-long proceedings will spur public outrage.
The surgeon documented his crimes in a diary since the early 1990s. Investigators found his notes in 2017 during a house search following a complaint filed by the parents of a 6-year-old girl who had accused her neighbor, a surgeon, of raping her.
At the end of 2020, a court sentenced the doctor to 15 years in jail for the rape and sexual assault of the girl, as well as two of his nieces and another female patient, all of whom were minors.
Investigators also launched an investigation into over 300 other cases, leading to the present trial. Many victims were unaware of the abuse as they had been under the influence of anesthesia following operations.
Calls for Changes to Sexual Abuse Laws
Homayra Sellier, the president of the child welfare association “Innocence en Danger,” questions a previous, suspended sentence handed to the accused in 2005 for accessing child sexual abuse material online.
She believes the medical association should have revoked the surgeon’s license immediately, arguing that viewing child sexual abuse material often precedes the commission of a crime. The regional medical association has since tightened its control mechanisms but did not revoke the surgeon’s license until 2021.
Sellier’s association is a civil plaintiff in the trial, representing 37 alleged victims. They hope the court proceedings will lead to changes in the current laws protecting victims of sexual abuse.
Necessary Reform in Societal Attitude, Says Expert
Magali Lafourcade, a former judge and the secretary-general of the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), also advocates for better legal protection for victims. She supports the “Romeo and Juliet” clause that considers individuals under 15 as not mature enough to consent to sex if the other person is more than five years older.
Lafourcade argues that this definition should be broadened to include power-based relationships, such as those between doctors and patients. She also emphasizes the importance of reporting suspected abuse and suggests public information campaigns about incest and child sexual abuse.
Prevention Programs in Schools
Philippe Fait, a deputy from the parliamentary group “Ensemble pour la République” and a former special education teacher, plans to introduce programs in schools starting in September that teach children about the ownership of their bodies and the importance of vetting personnel who work with children.
While sex education lessons are already mandatory in all schools, Mai Lan Chapiron, a singer and advocate for helping children protect themselves from sexual abuse, believes more needs to be done to address the issue.
‘Butterflies’ Provides Support for Children
The association “Les Papillons” is dedicated to providing support for children by installing “butterfly boxes” in schools and sports clubs, allowing children to report bullying, violence, or sexual assault anonymously.
The organization has received tens of thousands of messages since its inception in 2020. Laurent Boyet, the founder of “Les Papillons” and a survivor of childhood abuse, wants to give other children the opportunity to express themselves in a way that he could not.
Laurent suggests that the boxes could also be placed in hospitals, although it might not have made a difference in the case of the surgeon on trial, as many victims were unaware of the abuse.
This article has been adapted from German.
