For ten years, Corinne Leriche has put aside her life and her job as a teacher for her daughter, Julie, who denounces having suffered sexual acts by about twenty firefighters in Paris between her 13 and 15 years old.
Ten years after the first complaint was filed, the justice which had finally reclassified the facts in 2019 as "sexual assault" and no longer as "rape of a minor" on three of the twenty firefighters denounced, has just confirmed its decision on appeal.
“A tragedy and an injustice for Julie, breathes Corinne, disillusioned.
By qualifying the facts of sexual assault, they consider that my daughter was consenting.
How is it possible?
And the seventeen other firefighters?
They have never been indicted.
It's a denial of justice from the start ”.
The facts go back to 2008, when Julie, a young college student in 4th grade, became uncomfortable in class.
Firefighters are called to the scene and take charge of the teenager in their truck.
Julie then says that one of the firefighters asked her for her contact details and contacted her a few weeks later.
Vulnerable by her young age, Julie is also vulnerable by the heavy drug treatment she takes against anxiety attacks.
“One day, when my mother was away, this firefighter took me to his house, put me on the bed, sat astride me and raped me.
From there, my life changed… ”, testifies Julie.
Then follow other sexual acts, in which other colleagues of the first firefighter participate.
The descent into hell will last two years.
Julie doesn't say anything to her parents, but her condition deteriorates.
She scarifies herself, makes suicide attempts, attacks of tetany… In 2010, Julie finally gives herself up to her mother.
She tells him everything.
The same day, Corinne Leriche lodged a complaint against a total of twenty Paris firefighters.
Only three will be indicted for "rape in meeting of a minor", the others having always denied having knowledge of Julie's age at the time of the facts, also explaining that the young girl was asking and looked quite normal ...
In 2014, Julie tries to kill herself by defending herself
Nine years later, the courts therefore maintain the alleged "sexual abuse" facts, thus returning the three soldiers to a criminal court.
The offense of sexual assault being an offense punishable by a maximum of ten years in prison, that is to say half of the penalty incurred at the assizes for "rape of a minor", the three defendants thus escape a heavier penalty.
By changing the qualification of the facts, justice also considers that Julie was consenting.
This decision "does not do justice to French justice in its conception of what rape is and shows once again that we have a huge delay in listening to victims in the matter and what is a consent to a sexual act ”, launched Thursday morning, Julie's lawyer, Me Jean Tamalet while announcing to appeal in cassation.
“I am happy that Julie did not come to the deliberation this morning, because it was incredibly violent, reacts Corinne Leriche.
To say to a victim of rape that she was consenting is a total contempt, like this procedure which has lasted for ten years ”.
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Today, Julie is 25 years old.
After yet another suicide attempt, she finally defeated herself in 2014 and suffered serious consequences.
“She is now disabled, with no future prospect.
They stole his life at 13, continues Corinne.
We will continue to fight for Julie, against this terrible denial of justice.
Julie needs to be restored to her dignity, to get her life back, to stop it ”.