The unresolved complaints and reports against the man placed in pre-trial detention after the disappearance of an 11-year-old child in the Gers once again call into question the processing times for cases of rape and sexual assault. To respond to the legitimate incomprehension and anger rising in the face of what appears to be serious dysfunctions in the investigation procedures, and to determine whether there were any failures, the government has opened an administrative investigation.
Every day in France, 700 complaints are filed for rape or sexual assault, particularly against minors. A “mass dispute” that magistrates ensure they treat as a priority, and which has taken on an unprecedented scale since 2017 and the freedom of speech caused by the #MeToo movement. In such cases where imposed silence is a formidable weapon, we can only rejoice that speech is being freed.
But his collection is not enough. It is becoming urgent that political choices follow the demands of a society which no longer tolerates the invisibility, or even impunity, of such crimes. Despite a growing number of convictions, the vast majority of rape complaints are dismissed, often due to failure to characterize the offense.
The freezing of credits in the 2026 budget which impacts the Ministry of Justice is not a positive sign. In matters of sexual violence as in matters of justice, collective failure is always combined with intimate tragedies. We know that the time for justice is never that of the victims, but the challenge is to reconcile individual reparation and the transformation of society. It’s a question of dignity.
