Endless cases of child sexual abuse in France: A deep scar on European society

France, a European country that often portrays itself as a defender of human rights, has long been plagued with numerous cases of sexual abuse.

According to reports, in one such case, seven defendants are currently on trial for sexually abusing girls aged 13 to 15.

This trial, which began on Monday, September 15 at the Juvenile Court in Pontoise, near Paris, involves serious charges.

According to the French Public Prosecutor’s Office, three men and one woman were underage at the time of the crimes, while three other defendants were adults.

The trial focuses on crimes committed between October 2020 and May 2022, involving a total of four underage victims.

A report by France Info revealed that some of the girls were living in a house, and one of them was allegedly forced to perform around 40 sexual acts in just one month. According to the report, the abuse occurred in hotels and cars.

Marion Menage, one of the victims’ lawyers, said these acts have left deep scars on some of the children. She told France Info that one of the victims refuses to speak to a psychologist because she does not want to talk about what happened. The victim only said she feels “dead inside” and that the abusers “killed her.”

The trial is set to continue until September 26.

Child sexual abuse in France

Child sexual abuse in France encompasses a wide range of crimes, including sexual harassment, assault, rape, child prostitution, and the production or distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

This is a widespread issue, with estimates suggesting that around 160,000 children fall victim to sexual violence in France each year—that’s one every three minutes.

Most victims are girls under the age of 15. The rate of reporting remains low due to stigma, fear, and institutional shortcomings, which contribute to underestimating the true scale of the problem.

The long-term effects include severe mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, affecting more than half of survivors in their social and professional lives.

A 2015 national survey conducted by the French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) found that 13% of women and 5.5% of men had experienced sexual violence before the age of 18, with family members responsible for most cases involving girls. Sexual abuse by family members affects around 5% of France’s population, and one in ten French citizens knows a victim within their close circle.

According to statistics, French police recorded between 1,500 and 2,000 cases of sexual assault against minors per month between 2020 and 2022, including harassment and rape. In 2017, about 22,000 cases of sexual violence against minors were reported, including approximately 8,100 rapes, 30% of which were committed by family members.

Meanwhile, France ranks fifth in the European Union for hosting child sexual abuse material. In 2023, compared to 2022, there was a 54% increase in extreme content (such as rape and torture). Globally, in 2016, 92% of online addresses related to CSAM production or distribution were hosted in just five countries, including France.

Previously, a 2021 investigation estimated that 330,000 children in France had been abused by members of the clergy since 1950, highlighting the extent of institutional cover-ups. About one-quarter of child sexual abuse victims suffered rape.