after denouncing sexual assaults within the army, Ninon preferred to return his fatigues

“My colonel (…) On the day of signing my contract, that is to say May 3, 2022, I made the choice to put all my skills at the service of the population, in the name of the fundamental values ​​of France, and if necessary at the risk of my life I did not sign to be the victim of the deviance of my superiors or my colleagues, nor did I sign to witness a general denial regarding good. -be one of your soldiers.” These strong sentences are taken from a letter that Ninon Mathey wrote to her superior. She recounts the sexual assault she says she suffered within her regiment. A letter to which she claims to have never received a response.

Everything started well for this young woman who joined an artillery regiment at the age of 21. She graduated at the top of her three months of classes. She says that a brigadier made advances towards her, questioned her about her sex life, and sexually assaulted her.

One evening, in an isolated corridor, he allegedly called out to her. On his order, Ninon would have sat near him, while remaining on her guard. She tells : “In a split second, he grabs me by the ankles, he drags me on the ground, and he sits down, at the same time, and he pulls me on top of him. It goes like that, and I say to him ‘ No, no, no’, ‘Brigadier, let me go, I just want to go to bed’.”

But her attacker persisted, trying to touch her, to kiss her, until “pass your hand between [s]your legs over [s]we shorts and [la] to touch”. Ninon on guard “the feeling of having lived through a never-ending nightmare.”

Ninon immediately spoke about it to her female military comrades, and discovered that three other young women had also suffered sexual violence at the hands of the same brigadier. Together, they first decide to keep quiet, for fear of ruining their careers. But a few weeks later, one of them spoke about it to her superiors. Four complaints were filed with the gendarmerie, including one for rape. They will be dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence, like the vast majority of complaints of sexual violence.

On the army side, Ninon and her comrades are heard. The brigadier receives a disciplinary sanction, but he remains on duty. She could meet him again at any time. Not feeling safe in this regiment, she stays at home, on sick leave… isolated, traumatized. Six months after the attack described by Ninon Mathey, she said she received a document at home, informing her of the end of her contract. Ninon Mathey filed an appeal against the termination of this contract, and won. However, in 2023, after being declared unfit for service by a doctor, she permanently returned her fatigues.

Contacted, the Ministry of the Armed Forces indicated to “Special Envoy” that the sanction imposed on the brigadier in question was being reviewed. And specified: “The minister, by instruction of March 26, recalled the fundamentals: protect the victim, systematically refer the matter to the public prosecutor and heavily sanction the perpetrator. Since the instruction, 29 reports to the prosecutor have been made, 13 suspensions were issued (previously zero).” The ministry also told the magazine that an instruction would be signed soon to implement a comprehensive and sustainable program to combat sexual and gender-based violence.

Excerpt from “End of silence in the ranks”, a report to be seen in “Special Envoy” on June 13, 2024.

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