As part of the “Mazan rapes” trial, a disturbing reality emerged. More than a quarter of the 51 men prosecuted for aggravated rape on Gisèle Pelicot say they themselves were victims of sexual violence during their youth, France Info analyzed in an article.
One example among others: Wednesday, November 6, Cédric G., 50 years old, upset the courtroom of the Avignon court by sharing his personal story.
Described by his ex-partners as violent and dangerous, he spoke of what he calls “the first tipping point” of his life.
“It's weird for me because I have a lot of trouble using the term rape. I even tend, in the work I do with the psychologist, to use the word 'theft'.”
During his personality examination, the main accused, Dominique Pelicot, claimed he was raped at age 9then forced to participate in a rape at age 14, which allegedly influenced her “perversion”.
One of the co-defendants, Jean-Pierre M., also ended up handing over, with difficulty, a chilling account of the rapes and abuse he endured as a childanother Lionel R. also testifying to forced sexual acts.
The main victims of women
In the context of criminal proceedings, “the difficulty” is to prove “the existence of this violence”car some attackers may use this argument as a defense.
For psychiatrist Guillaume de La Chapelle, who treats victims of sexual violence in childhood, the “main risk” for them is to subsequently suffer violence, even as an adult, “no becoming an aggressor”.
More broadly, 30 to 35% of perpetrators of sexual violence have been victims themselves, compared to only 10% in the general populationpsychologists agree.
However, psychiatrist Laurent Layet warns against the simplistic belief that victims systematically become aggressors. He recalls on France Info that“another path is always possible”.
One observation remains, however: women remain the main victims, representing 85% of cases, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
