Paris: the police officer who called an alleged victim of sexual assault a "whore" will be tried in early July

The police officer accused of having called a "whore" a woman who had filed a complaint for sexual assault will appear on July 3 before the police court, said Friday a source close to the case, confirming information from Mediapart. He will be tried for non-public insult, because of gender, according to this source. He faces a maximum fine of €1,500.

In February 2022, the then 34-year-old woman filed a first complaint in a Paris police station for sexual assault while drunk, leading to the opening of an investigation, revealed by Mediapart. A police officer had left her a message on his answering machine to complete her complaint.

Thinking he had hung up, the official could be heard joking, then adding, "She's really a whore. (...) Fuck, she refuses the confront ' in addition to the whore. As luck would have it. Actually it was just to break his balls, I'm sure. (...) Fuck, big whore," he concluded, before the handset was hung up.

The procedure closed for the first time

The prosecutor's office had closed the proceedings because "the remarks had been made without wanting to bring them to the attention of the complainant" but, after a new complaint, the police officer was indicted on 3 January. In mid-April, the prosecutor's office finally requested a trial before the police court for non-public insult because of sex, requisitions followed by the investigating judge. Asked by AFP, the lawyer of the policeman, who admitted the facts during the investigation, was not able to comment Friday.

"July 3 will be an important date to examine the reality of the care of victims of sexist and sexual violence a thousand miles from the announcements of Ms. Schiappa and Mr. Darmanin," said Arié Alimi, lawyer for the complainant. "The latter once again lied when he claimed that the policeman would be dismissed. He just works in another police station," he added.

At the time, the Minister of the Interior had considered that the policeman had "no place" in the profession and had assured that he "will not be reinstated in the police". This case had sparked widespread criticism of the care of victims of sexual violence by the police.