The Evry prosecutor’s office announced on Thursday that it had opened a preliminary investigation into rape and sexual assault on students from the Ecole Polytechnique. An internal questionnaire of the establishment revealed that one student in four has been the victim of sexual assault since the beginning of her schooling.
A dozen students victims of rape or attempted rape
A total of 11 students say they have been victims of rape or attempted rape. The management of the establishment had sent a report to the prosecution of Evry, which according to the prosecution, was received at the end of March and led to the opening of this investigation on Wednesday, entrusted to the research brigade of the gendarmerie of Palaiseau.
The questionnaire, conducted from January 19 to February 6 in consultation with the students, “follows actions committed at CentraleSupélec”, justified the management of Polytechnique. An investigation was also opened seven months ago after an internal study at the prestigious engineering school CentraleSupélec, which reported a hundred facts sexual harassment, sexual assault or rape during the academic year.
A questionnaire completed by more than 2,000 young people
“We decided to react immediately by launching an investigation ourselves to find out what was going on at the École Polytechnique”, explained Tuesday to AFP François Bouchet, the director general of the prestigious school of engineers. The questionnaire was completed by around 2,100 young people out of the 3,300 who entered the school between 2018 and 2021. According to the survey, 23% of students, the vast majority of whom are women, say they have suffered sexual assault during their schooling: fondling, forced kisses. Eleven people have declared themselves victims of attempted rape or rape during their years at Polytechnique.
“These revealed facts of great gravity are unacceptable. We must mobilize to free speech and further improve our action plan launched in 2017, said François Bouchet. Workshops on gender-based and sexual violence will be made compulsory for all students from next June.