Infectious disease specialist Karine Lacombe accuses emergency physician Patrick Pelloux of “sexual and moral harassment”

The doctor, who worked for several years at Saint-Antoine hospital, where Karine Lacombe still works, denies all of the alleged facts. He nevertheless recognizes “sicky” behavior which would be “unfeasible today”.

Towards a #MeToo in hospitals? Infectious disease specialist Karine Lacombe accuses, Wednesday April 10 in Paris Matchemergency physician Patrick Pelloux from “sexual and moral harassment”. The magazine, which investigated sexist and sexual violence in the hospital environment, obtained confirmation from the latter of the identity of the “sexual predator” whom she claims to have worked with professionally.

She had already mentioned his existence several times with journalists and in a book, but without ever naming him. “I did not cite it because I wanted to show the system in which medical studies took place, very virile, very sexual, and the universality of the question”, she justifies. Patrick Pelloux, who refutes all the accusations made by his colleague to the newspaper, had not reacted to franceinfo at the time of publication of this article.

“Are you being upset, were you fucked badly last night?”

Near Paris MatchKarine Lacombe describes a “stalker adorned with all the marks of virility, braggart, overflowing with confidence thanks to his position of responsibility, in constant contact with women” and at “sexually dominant behavior”. She assures that in 2003, when she was an intern at the Parisian Saint-Antoine hospital, where Patrick Pelloux also worked, the female interns changed their shift schedule so as not to work with him at night. She describes recurring ribald and sexist remarks: “You’re being upset, were you fucked badly last night?”, “So, chicks don’t squeal much in this henhouse!” The latter could in particular constitute, according to the law, sexual harassment and moral harassment.

She also relates “episodes of humiliation” of which she considers herself the victim, after having rejected her colleague, seven years older than her. The magazine finally reports a fact which could relate to a sexual assault, which Karine Lacombe claims to have witnessed. “One day, an intern has her back to him, he grabs her by the neck and rubs his lower abdomen against her, ‘Mmm, don’t put yourself like that, it’s too tempting, it’s fucking hot!’ The colleague smiles, embarrassed, and pushes him away.writing Paris Matchquoting the infectious disease specialist.

“Rude” behavior

Two former Ministers of Health, Roselyne Bachelot and Agnès Buzyn, confirm having heard of inappropriate behavior by the emergency doctor towards women. Asked about the departure of Patrick Pelloux from Saint-Antoine in 2008, Roselyne Bachelot’s entourage assured that the former minister had chosen to“exfiltrate” the emergency doctor at the Paris Samu, where he still works. In question: “repeated accusations of verbal and sexual violence”. The person concerned, who founded the Association of Emergency Doctors of France, had estimated at the time in Paris Match be a victim of union discrimination. For her part, Agnès Buzyn assures the magazine that she learned, while she was Minister of Health, that “[Patrick] Pelloux was far from having had exemplary behavior with the fairer sex.”and confirms its “exfiltration” for this reason.