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French leader says country needs to better protect children as victims share testimonies of abuse on social media.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that France will tighten its laws on child sexual abuse, after the publication of a book accusing a top French political commentator of abusing his stepson and a massive social media campaign on the issue.
Macron said on his Twitter account on Saturday that France needs to adapt its laws to better protect children from sexual violence and he had asked the justice minister to chair a consultation aimed at quickly making legislative proposals.
тАЬWe will go after the aggressors,тАЭ Macron said.
Macron said France had already increased the statute of limitations on incest to 30 years, counted from the legal age of majority of the victims, and had tightened controls on people working with children, but he said much more needed to be done.
He said that as part of current routine medical examinations for children, France would introduce sessions about incest in primary and secondary schools to give children a chance to talk about the issue.
The French president also said that better psychological help for victims of sexual crimes would be made available.
тАЬToday shame is switching sidesтАЭ from victims to perpetrators, Macron said in a video posted to Twitter, welcoming the fact that тАЬpeople feel free to speak everywhere in FranceтАЭ.
тАЬWe are here. WeтАЩre listening to you. We believe you. And you will never be alone again.тАЭ
Social media campaign
In recent weeks, hundreds of people have taken to social media to tell their stories of incest and childhood sexual abuse тАУ often under the hashtag #MeTooInceste тАУ after the publication of the book accusing French professor and constitutional specialist Olivier Duhamel of abusing his stepson.
The book was written by DuhamelтАЩs stepdaughter Camille Kouchner, daughter of former foreign minister and founder of NGO M├йdecins Sans Fronti├иres (Doctors Without Borders, known as MSF) Bernard Kouchner.
#metooinceste. My earliest memory was when I must have been 6 years young . My older brotherтАж. only recently told my parents but as expected, they do not believe me. I am now 59 .
тАФ Stefaan Verlinde (@StefVerlinde) January 19, 2021
After sharing my story with friends, colleagues or acquaintances: I have heard so many other similar stories. This crime is underreported, so many survivors around us. You are all strong and deserve justice and healing тЭдя╕П #MeTooInceste
тАФ Ang├йlique Bernab├й (@AngeJBe) January 18, 2021
Duhamel resigned earlier this month from his post overseeing Sciences Po, one of FranceтАЩs top universities, following publication of the book.
тАЬBeing the object of personal attacks and wanting to preserve the institutions in which I work, I put an end to my functions,тАЭ he said on Twitter on January 4.
Neither Duhamel nor his lawyer have commented on the accusations dating back to the 1980s.
Higher Education Minister Frederique Vidal has ordered an inspection at Sciences Po to determine responsibilities and potential failings.
The World Health Organization say international studies show that one in five women and one in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged under 18.
Experts say sexual abuses are likely to be underestimated amid secrecy often surrounding the issue.
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