France: France confronts its largest child sex abuse trial in a moment of national reckoning
France is facing a major case on child sexual abuse following the trial of retired surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, who is accused of sexually assaulting 299 children over 25 years in 10 hospitals. Already serving a 15-year sentence, his diaries, detailing abuse and harassment under sedation, helped identify victims who were unaware of their assault.
This case follows the high-profile trial of Gisèle Pelicot and echoes past controversies like the 2020 Gabriel Matzneff scandal, which ignited debates about age-of-consent laws. Critics argue that France’s medical ethics codes discourage reporting abuse, allowing predators to operate unchecked.
Legal reforms in 2021 finally classified all penetrative acts with children under 15 as rape, but France has resisted adopting broader consent-based rape laws. Amid growing pressure, lawmakers are considering further legal amendments to strengthen protections for minors.
Compiled from: “France's 'reckoning' over largest-ever child sex abuse trial, ” The Week, March 2025.
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