Emmanuel Macron assures that he “never defended an attacker against victims”

In an interview with “Elle”, the President of the Republic claims to have “deep respect, goodwill and great confidence for and in the words of women” and says he is “uncompromising on the issue of rape, domination, of this culture of brutality”.

Emmanuel Macron assures, in an interview in She Wednesday, May 8, that there was no home “no complacency” towards the actor Gérard Depardieu, claiming not to have “never defended an aggressor against victims”.

Gérard Depardieu will be tried next October in Paris for sexual assault on two women during filming in 2021. He has also been indicted since 2020 for rape and sexual assault on a young actress, Charlotte Arnould. Several other complaints have been filed against the 75-year-old actor, who denies the facts with which he is accused. At the end of December, before the actor was summoned to court, Emmanuel Macron defended the actor, welcoming a “great actor” Who “makes France proud”and denouncing “a manhunt”.

“There is no complacency in me”assured the President of the Republic in She (article reserved for subscribers), where he covers several subjects considered important for women. “Just a desire to respect our principles, such as the presumption of innocence. These same principles which will allow justice to rule next October and that is a good thing”he added.

The protection of victims, a “priority”

The head of state assured that he had “deep respect, kindness and great confidence for and in the words of women” and said to himself “intractable on the issue of rape, domination, this culture of brutality”. “My priority has always been the protection of victims, and this is also the case for the Depardieu affair”he continued.

Saluting “courage” actresses Judith Godrèche, Juliette Binoche and Isild le Besco, who denounced sexual violence in the cinema industry, Emmanuel Macron underlines that “the truth is brought to light through free speech, through the work of journalists, through the work of investigators. Justice then, alone, establishes guilt”, he added.

Emmanuel Macron also recalled his intention to change the definition of rape in France by integrating the notion of consent. Parliamentarians are in the process of “to discuss the subject with the Minister of Justice so that a proposed text can see the light of day by the end of the year”he clarified.

Carried by the #MeToo shock wave, voices have been raised for several months for France to integrate the notion of consent into its law, like other European countries. The #MeToo movement “reassured me, made me doubt, revealed things to me”he admitted.