“Chilling. » It is with this word that Véronique Guillotin, senator (radical party) from Meurthe-et-Moselle, summarizes the testimonies she heard. Thursday, October 3, the elected official went to the Avignon courthouse, where she attended a hearing in the context of the Mazan rape trial. That day, seven defendants were questioned. “All appear for rape with aggravating circumstances. All have pleaded not guilty. There was a real reaction of denial”laments the chosen one.
It is no coincidence that she went to this hearing. A few months ago, she began a parliamentary mission, on the question of chemical submission as a form of violence against women alongside the MP for Loire-Atlantique Sandrine Josso, herself drugged without her knowledge by a colleague. Mission suspended since the dissolution of the National Assembly. As current events place the subject at the heart of debates, Véronique Guillotin hopes that the mission will be relaunched.
Detecting the symptoms
“Chemical submission is often confined to the image of nightclubs in public opinion”she notes. Contrary to popular belief, facts often take place in “a reassuring setting” : family, friendly or professional. Her work led her to meet 14 victims, of different profiles and ages. Mostly women but also men. She was also able to meet the daughter of Gisèle Pélicot, founder of the M’endors pas association, which has supported the work of the mission since the beginning.
Following these meetings, a white paper collecting testimonies from victims of chemical submission was posted online. However, it remains difficult to establish the facts in detail and prove them because, generally, the victim has no memory of what happened. Or very little. “In half of the cases, there is amnesia. » Especially since we have to move quickly to hope to collect evidence, knowing “that after 48 hours, whether in the urine or in the blood, drug residues disappear”. “There is real training work to be done with the various professionals who may find themselves on the front line: general practitioners, emergency services, reception desks at gendarmerie or police stations, etc. » so that they are able to detect certain signs, underlines the elected official.
Because despite amnesia, certain symptoms can occur following the use of drugs and medications. “Victims told us they were in a state of excitement they had never experienced, others had a racing heart, hot flashes or feelings of unease. » If these signals are identified early enough, it is then easier for victims of chemical submission to access justice. “We even went so far as to suggest setting up urine collections in pharmacies while waiting to file a complaint. » In fact, not all complaints are processed. In this case, the cost of the analyzes is the responsibility of the person.
The role of social networks
During the mission, Véronique Guillotin and Sandrine Josso also looked at the impact of social networks. A round table was organized on the subject. “The defendants who were interviewed in the trial had all worked through the controversial social network Coco, which has since been closed. We also organized a round table around psychological trauma to find out how we can support these victims in their reconstruction. »
Today, Véronique Guillotin says she is determined to continue the mission and has already written several letters, addressed to the new Prime Minister but also to the first lady, Brigitte Macron, and to the Secretary of State in charge of equality between women and men. “So far we haven’t gotten any response but we won’t give up. Now that the new government is formed, we will send a new letter. Especially since we received the support of Gabriel Attal. I would not understand, in the light of such a trial, why the mission is not relaunched. »
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