the union of Paris hospital interns launches a call for testimonies

This call is addressed to interns who worked with the emergency physician, in the SAMU/SMUR of Saint-Antoine hospital and Necker hospital.

The union of Paris hospital interns is launching a call for testimonies after the revelations of Paris Match on the accusations of sexual and moral harassment weighing on Patrick Pelloux, emergency doctor and president of the Association of Emergency Doctors of France, franceinfo learned, Friday April 12, from the union. This call for testimonies concerns interns who went through the emergency room and in the SAMU/SMUR of Saint-Antoine hospital and Necker hospital, where the emergency doctor worked.

In the article published Wednesday by Paris MatchProfessor Karine Lacombe describes Patrick Pelloux as “sexual predator” At “sexually dominant behavior”. “I frequently observed and suffered acts that would today be classified as sexual assault: a hand between the thighs, touching of the breasts, ribald allusions”, remembers Karine Lacombe. The infectious disease specialist states that “the ingredients of sexual and moral harassment were gathered here”. Beyond the case of Patrick Pelloux, she explains that she wanted to show, in her book Women will save the hospital (ed. Stock) published in October 2023, “the system in which medical studies took place, very virile, very sexual and the universality of the question”.

In 2021, 15% of interns reported having suffered sexual assault

For Kahina Sadat, vice-president of the National Association of Medical Students of France (ANEMF), in charge of the quality of life of students, interviewed by franceinfo, “there is nothing surprising” in the investigation of Paris Match. “These are things that have been known by healthcare teams, by the medical community, for years and years, anyone in the healthcare community is not shocked by these revelations”she continues.

The vice-president of ANEMF affirms that her association receives “regularly” testimonies from alleged victims, but that this has accelerated “with the current wave”. In March 2021, ANEMF conducted a survey on sexual and gender-based violence among medical students. The study reveals that 15% of students report having experienced sexual assault. Only one in ten alleged victims reported it. “It’s huge, it’s a lot of students”says Kahina Sadat.

Healthy students, imbued with this rape culture”

The president of the autonomous national inter-union representative of general medicine interns (ISNAR IMG), Florie Sullerot, guest of franceinfo on Friday, welcomes that the “speech is freed”, but remember that this is not without consequences.

“When we are told about broken careers, this is what is really happening, a bit like in the cinema. Talking has a price, even when there are big waves of solidarity.”

Florie Sullerot, president of ISNAR IMG

at franceinfo

The emergency physician, Patrick Pelloux, defended himself in Paris Match by explaining that the facts date back to a time when “we didn’t have the same relationship with sex, it was just for fun”. Florie Sullerot refutes these remarks and denounces “rifle culture” And “the set of customs and humor that actually exist to create cohesion in the group of health students, imbued with this rape culture”, she explains. According to her, “this rifle culture will ultimately make all discriminatory acts and violence more acceptable and less visible.”

Two former Ministers of Health, Roselyne Bachelot and Agnès Buzyn, confirmed to Paris Match that they had been made aware of the behavior. The doctor was removed from Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. “We know that attackers are often repeat offenders. We must offer them training for attackers, raise their awareness and above all protect potential future victims as best as possible. Relocation does not seem sufficient at all”assures Florie Sullerot.