“The President of the Republic sends a signal to all women, namely that even when we speak and file a complaint, we are not believed”denounces Tuesday, May 24 on franceinfo the EELV adviser from Paris and feminist activist Raphaëlle Remy-Leleu. “When he refuses to dismiss Damien Abad, it’s a political signal.”
>> Accusations of rape against Damien Abad: four questions about the Observatory of sexual violence which helped to reveal the case
Raphaëlle Rémy-Leleu believes that there is “a deep problem in this country” with sexist and sexual violence. “There is a lack of a real status for elected officials which would be accompanied by more direct means and obligations to guarantee exemplary behavior in addition to trust.” The elected official will participate this Tuesday at 6 p.m., Place Saint-Augustin in Paris (8th arrondissement), in the demonstration against the “government of shame” at the call of the observatory of sexist and sexual violence in politics.
franceinfo: can the head of state say that he did not know and that he did not have the means to know?
Raphaëlle Remy-Leleu: It didn’t matter if he knew or not. Today, he knows it and the President of the Republic sends a signal to all women, namely that even when we speak and file a complaint, we are not believed. When you have a president or a prime minister who refuses even to take this precaution of removing the incriminated man from power while she sheds all the light on the affair, it is in fact a political signal.
“When we see that Jérôme Peyrat was a candidate when he was convicted of domestic violence, what does that say about impunity and contempt for women?”
Raphaëlle Remy-Leleu, EELV adviser from Paris and feminist activistat franceinfo
There is no confidence in Emmanuel Macron and this government in this matter. Less than 1% of rapists are convicted and politicians, powerful men, remain in position.
Should there be an institutional structure on the model of the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life?
There are many things that are being put in place within the parties and the various assemblies, but there is a deep problem in this country. For example, there have been refusals to waive parliamentary immunities for cases of sexist or sexual harassment. Faced with what other crime or misdemeanor could we act with so much impunity? There is a lack of a real statute for elected representatives, which would be accompanied by more direct means and obligations to guarantee exemplary behavior in addition to trust.
Has the consideration of sexist and sexual violence not sufficiently infused within the parties?
It has not infused anywhere in society! The figures of gender-based and sexual violence do not decrease. Admittedly, we say to ourselves today that women’s voices are listened to a little more, but the resources of the police and justice are insufficient, as within the parties.
“During the Abad case, as in many other cases, suspicion never weighs on the alleged aggressor despite everything we know about gender-based and sexual violence and the strategies of the aggressors. On the other hand, there is always a hint of lies and conspiracy about the victims.”
Raphaëlle Remy-Leleu, EELV adviser from Paris and feminist activistat franceinfo
This is truly proof of a deep contempt for all women.
Is this voice of women heard within your EELV party?
I hope so but I will not tell you that it is exemplary. I believe that no one can be today and that the means we have as a collective are not important enough. Nevertheless, we have a cell of trained volunteers who have been working for a long time to ensure that listening is benevolent and that the measures taken are very demanding. I also call on anyone, member of EELV or not, who has knowledge of facts that could incriminate activists to report them to this cell via the address [email protected].