“I am the first victim of Taha O. I think of Philippine and her family, and I am immensely sad. I would like to comfort them, comfort her, but I only face the unbearable void left by her death. »
“I did everything to ensure that what happened to me would not be repeated. I filed a complaint so that the rape I suffered would be named and recognized, so that my attacker would be found guilty and me the victim. I held on during the two years of investigation, instruction and trial, telling myself that my approach would protect other women. »
An observation that concerns our entire society
Thus begins the letter that the first rape victim of Taha O. – which we reproduce in its entirety as its words are strong and moving – sent to all the media yesterday via AFP which confirmed its origin. This is not a complaint, but a sadness and an observation that concerns our entire society.
This young woman, a student at the time of the events, was raped by Taha O. during a savage 90-minute attack in 2019 in the Taverny forest (Val-d’Oise). She immediately filed a complaint. The attacker, then aged 17, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
His letter, written after the death of Philippine and the arrest of the criminal in Switzerland, for these new acts committed shortly after his release from prison, points out the administrative dysfunctions of the obligations to leave the territory (OQTF), but also the failures of the treatment of rapists to avoid any recurrence. Here is the rest of his letter in its entirety:
“Justice has been done,” continues the young woman, “my attacker was sentenced to almost the maximum penalty incurred for this type of crime committed by a minor and was imprisoned. Immediately after his release, he allegedly reoffended and committed the irreparable. If this is indeed the case, why? Why has the prison system failed to prevent this recidivism? Why were we unable to stop this escalation of violence leading to the murder of a young woman? »
VideoMurder of Philippine: suspect arrested in Switzerland
“Taha O.’s dangerousness was known. A man who rapes a woman is dangerous. Whether he is unknown to his victim or her husband, whether he is foreign or French, whether the rape took place in a forest or in a marital apartment. Rape is a crime. He is the radical of violence, he contains within himself a negation of the other, of his right to be and to exist. »
“Philippine could have been my sister”
“An obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) had been issued against my attacker. This was not executed. The reasons for this dysfunction must be clarified and these flaws corrected. These questions should not, however, obscure the essential question of preventing recidivism. Even if this OQTF had been respected, what international cooperation mechanisms exist to prevent the recurrence of sexist and sexual crimes by deported criminals? Our fraternity, our humanism, cannot stop at the gates of our borders. »
“I would like to see the launch of a commission of inquiry into the prevention of recidivism in cases of sexual and gender-based crimes. What measures to prevent recidivism are planned and actually implemented in detention centers? What is the impact of detention in reducing the risk of repeat offenses? What reintegration support programs are planned? It seems essential to me that we collectively question the effectiveness of the means put in place and those to be created so that what happened does not happen again. »
“Philippine could have been my sister. I cannot be his voice, I am only mine. The words I speak join those of women who have fought and are still fighting today against sexist and sexual violence. »
