The Ministries of Health and Higher Education have asked the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research to investigate the University’s response to accusations of sexual violence against one of his medical students, reveals franceinfo this Friday.
According to information from franceinfo, the president of the University of Tours has decided not to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the suspect, after the filing, in early September 2020, of five complaints against him for rape and sexual assault, including three from students from the same faculty of medicine. These facts occurred between 2013 and 2020. Some of the complainants explain that they suffered this violence while they were unconscious.
On the other hand, the dean of the faculty of medicine took up the case, outside of any official procedure and despite the opposition of several university officials. In front of several witnesses, he warned against “delicacy of the file”, since the student’s parents are renowned doctors in Tours. He banned the suspect – always outside of any official procedure and without keeping any written record – from coming to university and returning to his medical internship. According to several witnesses, the young man did not respect these prohibitions.
On September 30, 2020, the suspect was taken into custody, then indicted and remanded in custody for two months. He was then released under judicial supervision, with a ban on staying in Indre-et-Loire but with authorization to resume his medical studies.
After the refusal of several universities, the young man was finally admitted to the University of Limoges where he resumed his education in September 2021. Despite the nature of the legal proceedings against him, his new faculty of medicine the sent for an internship in a gynecology department. Decision who “beyond comprehension”reacted on franceinfo the lawyer for the plaintiffs, Me Marc Morin, since he must perform examinations on vulnerable patients.
In mid-April 2022, months after the start of this affair, collages appeared on the walls of the Faculty of Medicine in Tours with the slogan “Today your rapist, tomorrow your doctor” and “Here are trained and protected from rapists”. Collective “Tours Feminist Actions” accuses the dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Tours of having “protected” the suspect. Contacted by franceinfo, the association of medical students in France asks that protective measures be taken automatically, from the first report of sexual violence.
After the revelations of franceinfo on this file on Friday April 29 in the morning, the University of Tours wanted to react in a press release. She said to herself “aware of the incomprehension and anger aroused” by the charges against this student. She claims to have “solicited an external investigation from the rectorate” and “thanks the Ministry of Higher Education for having quickly expedited it”. The University will not comment further until the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research has submitted its report.