Paris: woman alleges childhood sexual abuse involving figures of the intelligentsia
A 52-year-old woman accuses her adoptive father and associates of sexual violence against a minor, including a controversial writer. A judicial investigation is underway.
Paris: woman alleges childhood sexual abuse involving figures of the intelligentsia
A 52-year-old woman brought a complaint to the authorities in late 2023 to report sexual assaults she claims to have suffered during her childhood, between the ages of 4 and 13. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred in a flat situated on a street in the 7th arrondissement of the capital, where she lived with her brother under the care of a nanny.
The complainant, who grew up in an adoptive household, identifies her adoptive father as one of the principal perpetrators of the violence. She also mentions the involvement of acquaintances of his, among whom are names known in literary and media circles. One of them is an essayist recognised for his writings concerning attraction to youth. Another is a jurist who has held positions of responsibility within a professional body.
According to the account she gave in a report by France Culture, the family flat was frequented only by her adoptive father and his male associates. Her adoptive mother, from a wealthy provincial family, is said never to have visited it. The complainant evokes an atmosphere in which she and her brother were left in the care of these men.
The trigger for her legal action was the publication of a media work on incest. She then recorded conversations with her adoptive father, in which he allegedly justified his actions by evoking a fascination with childhood innocence. She uses the term "games" to describe what she experienced, acknowledging that this word does not reflect the reality of the acts.
The investigations, conducted by services specialising in the protection of minors, pursue several objectives. Besides identifying other potential victims, they aim to clarify the circumstances of her adoption, which she suspects may have been tainted by irregularities. The body responsible for this procedure ceased all activity in 2025.
All those accused have denied the allegations. The essayist has described the account as implausible. The jurist was cleared by a disciplinary body of his profession. No defamation action has been brought against the complainant to date. The investigation continues.
Source: Radio France - Justice