France's biggest child sex abuse trial: Ex-surgeon faces 299 victims

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Former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec faces trial for abusing 299 victims over decades. His detailed notebooks, systemic failures, and growing activism highlight France's largest child sex abuse case, aiming to break societal silence and secure justice.

Joel Le Scouarnec

Joel Le Scouarnec is to face charges he sexually abused 299 patients. (AFP)

India Today Global Desk

UPDATED: Feb 23, 2025 01:42 IST

France is set to hold its largest-ever child sex abuse trial, with former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec accused of raping or sexually abusing 299 people, most of whom were child patients. Activists hope the trial will empower other victims and expose long-protected abusers.

Chilling Evidence: Notebooks Documenting Crimes

Le Scouarnec, now 74, will stand trial in Vannes, Brittany, facing hundreds of victims over the next four months. His detailed notebooks document decades of sexual violence. He does not deny the charges but claims he does not remember all the incidents.

Some victims have no memory of the assaults, as they were unconscious during surgery performed by Le Scouarnec.

A push to end the culture of silence

The trial coincides with a growing movement to break the taboos surrounding sexual abuse in France. The recent case of Gisèle Pélicot, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband and others, has fueled public outrage and calls for justice.

Women’s rights and child protection groups see this trial as a crucial moment to shift the burden of shame onto the perpetrators.

“This should mark a new step towards a justice system that listens to and protects victims while firmly convicting aggressors,” advocacy groups stated.

(Source: Associated Press)

Decades of abuse and a delayed investigation

Le Scouarnec faces up to 20 years in prison for rape, sexual assault, and indecent acts committed with violence or surprise. His crimes span from 1989 to 2014, with victims averaging 11 years old at the time of the abuse.

The case came to light in 2017 when a six-year-old neighbour reported that Le Scouarnec had molested her over a fence. A search of his home uncovered:

Over 300,000 photos 650 pedophilic, zoophilic, and scatological video files Notebooks in which he described himself as a pedophile and detailed his crimes In 2020, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces and a patient. Some cases could not be prosecuted due to expired statutes of limitations.

Victims struggle with uncovering the truth

According to investigators, Le Scouarnec sexually abused both boys and girls while they were alone in their hospital rooms. He disguised his assaults as medical procedures, making it difficult for young victims to recognize what had happened.

One victim, Amélie Lévªque, recalled her experience at age nine: "I didn’t really remember the operation. I just remembered a surgeon who was quite mean. When I found out my name was in his notebooks, it answered lifelong questions but also sent me into a downward spiral.”

She described falling into a deep depression, feeling isolated even with her family’s support.

Systemic failures enabled his crimes

Le Scouarnec’s abuse could have been uncovered much earlier. In 2005, he was convicted for possessing and importing child pornography but received only a four-month suspended sentence.

Despite this conviction, he was appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Due to bureaucratic delays, his criminal record was not included in the background check requested by the Health Ministry. Even after learning of his past, health authorities took no disciplinary action.

Calls for legal reform

Several child protection groups have joined the proceedings as civil parties. L’Enfant Bleu association’s lawyer, Jean-Christophe Boyer, emphasized the need for legal changes to prevent such cases in the future.

The Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence against Children called for a “major cultural shift,” stating:

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indiatodayglobal

Published On:

Feb 23, 2025

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