A man convicted of a sexual assault committed against a 15-year-old girl during a party he hosted launches a foundation to prevent the situations that led to his act and to atone for the harm he caused. because.
• Read also: Sexual assault on a 15-year-old minor: singer Midaz dismissed on appeal
• Read also: One of the three rapists of Victoriaville free
At the start of the 2010s, the career of Pierre-François Blondeau, singer of a booming electro-pop group, was in full swing. In addition to opening for LMFAO at the Quebec Summer Festival, the man we knew under the pseudonym Midaz was starting to break through the American scene.
But everything collapsed during a rave party intended for young people aged 15 to 25 which he was the host, in Victoriaville, in October 2014. During this evening, he had sexual relations with a teenage girl aged 15 years old, who had consumed a lot of alcohol and drugs during the evening
This led to a charge of sexual assault.
Ex-electro-pop singer Midaz claims to have met his victim after his release to chat with her and sincerely apologize.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
“When I think about it today, it really wasn’t great to do this kind of event with minors. It was obvious that things could go wrong. But it was really popular at the time,” underlines the man who was 21 years old at the time.
- Listen to the legal segment with Nicole Gibeault via
:
Denial and excuses
In July 2017, Pierre-François Blondeau finally received 30 months in prison for his actions. After losing his appeal, he was released in March 2019 following an 11-month detention.
Mr. Blondeau confides that he was in denial regarding his responsibility in the case throughout the legal process, claiming not to have had bad intentions.
“I was so focused on the fear of going to prison that I didn’t realize the harm I might have caused. I was so convinced of my innocence that I returned to prison in a jacket, it was an invitation to get beaten up,” he says.
Pierre-François Blondeau, during his trial for sexual assault.
Archive photo, Yanick Poisson
His journey regarding his responsibility for the crime he committed could only begin after his painful time in federal prisons. In recent months, he even organized a meeting with his victim.
“We talked about that evening and it was the first time I was able to apologize, being sincere,” says the man, now 30 years old.
Raise awareness among men
Nearly 10 years after the crime, Pierre-François Blondeau is now preparing to launch a non-profit organization (NPO) to prevent situations like his, with the help of his prison lawyer.
“It’s part of my story, whether I like it or not. Now, I want to be able to do good by using the experience of my life,” says Pierre-François Blondeau.
Although it is still in its infancy, the Bonhomme Foundation will address men to make them aware of the impact of their actions.
The man, now 30 years old, will launch his foundation with the help of his prison lawyer.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
“I want them to realize that even if they don’t have malicious intentions towards women, they can still cause harm. Just like someone who drinks and drives and hits a pedestrian,” says the young man who still works in the musical world as a producer.