Remember.
On November 2, 2021, the actor and comedian Ary Abittan was indicted for rape, then placed under judicial supervision, after 48 hours of police custody, at the police station of the first district of the Paris judicial police. He was then accused of having sexually assaulted a 23-year-old young woman, with whom he had been in a relationship for several months. Several women subsequently testified to Paris Match about what they described as “violent behavior”, a “split personality”, a “feeling of omnipotence”, and “excessive consumption of sex”.
The 23-year-old woman who filed a complaint against the actor for rape reported this in 2021: “unwanted anal penetration, very rough vaginal intercourse, slapping, strangulation, screaming and, sharp pain“. One of his ex-partners deplored this: “He took my mere presence as consent“. And another voice collected by Paris Match declared: “The problem with Ary is that he assumes that everything is acquired when you agree to come for coffee or respond politely to his smile“. Testimonials can be found here.
Ary Abittan has denied the facts since 2022. And finally benefited from a dismissal of the case in court. Even so, reports Sud Ouest, the two investigating judges in charge of the case were able to recognize “the indisputable post-traumatic stress of the complainant“.
And today he is back on stage. For several days, however, many feminist associations have demanded the cancellation of the comedian's show. For example, 13 organizations are calling for the non-performance of the said one-man show at the Théâtre du Casino Barrière in Bordeaux.
But that's not all…
“A dismissal does not make him innocent”: feminist associations protest against Ary Abittan
Activist voices are being heard.
The Collages Féministes association of Bordeaux protests: “While the actor was accused of rape and despite the overwhelming evidence, the courts dismissed the case. We would like to remind you that this does not make him innocent and that we do not want to see him strutting on a stage in our city, especially when he uses his custody in the context of this affair to make people laugh.“.
Indeed, the actor is accused of exploiting this legal case in his comedy show. “In the absence of deprogramming, we are calling for a gathering on Saturday January 25 at 7 p.m. in front of the Théâtre du Casino Barrière de Bordeaux“, underlines the feminist collective. Demonstrations could therefore take place across France.
And it doesn't stop there.
Same story in Lyon, with the Nous Tous association.
Who notably demanded the cancellation of the comedian's show at the Radiant-Bellevue in Caluire-et-Cuire. Show which finally took place, as reported by the Lyon branch of BFM TV. And the collective deplores it thus: “Ari Abittan capitalizes on the trauma inflicted on women who bear witness to all of this with the support of several performance halls across France.”. The expression that is not cited, but seems to resonate, is that of “rape culture”.
A formulation that we decipher for you here.
“We do not want culture to serve as a stepping stone for men accused of rape or assault. In a world where only 1% of rapists are convicted, we all have a role to play. The complicity of filmers, producers, funders, the public must stop“, further informs the association for the defense of women's rights.
While the lawyer for Ary Abittan's plaintiff has announced that she will appeal the dismissal of the case pronounced as a verdict, “for lack of evidence”, the actor's tour continues to provoke reactions. Some associate this with “cancel culture”, this cultural phenomenon of boycott targeting artists at the heart of serious accusations, and which today relates to many personalities – like this one for example.
Other words rather require listening to those of women.
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