A relief.
And a dark story that now belongs to justice.
The former skater Sarah Abitbol, at the origin of the revelations on sexual assault in French figure skating, said on Saturday "relieved" by the indictment of Gilles Beyer, her former trainer, whom she accuses of rape .
A year after the outbreak of a resounding scandal of sexual violence in the world of figure skating, former coach Gilles Beyer was indicted for "sexual assault" and "sexual harassment" and placed under judicial supervision.
Even if this indictment does not concern Sarah Abitbol because in her case the facts are prescribed, the skater explains to the Obs to be “relieved that justice summons Gilles Beyer.
Finally !".
"READ ALSO - Sexual abuse in skating: the former trainer Gilles Beyer indicted for" sexual assault "
Sarah Abitbol had accused in the book "Un si long silence" (Plon), published in early 2020, her ex-trainer of rape and repeated sexual assault, when she was between 15 and 17 years old, in the early 90s However, she had not lodged a complaint, given the statute of limitations.
In a written statement to AFP, Mr. Beyer had recognized "intimate relations" and "inappropriate" with Sarah Abitbol, presenting "apologies" immediately refused by the latter.
"I see that the charges are" assault "and" harassment ".
I have suffered rapes.
But it is regrettable, these facts are prescribed.
I know that another skater testified to the police that she was raped by the same assailant.
But for her too, the facts are prescribed ”, regrets Sarah Abitbol, however.
“I find it unfair that we cannot be on the victims' bench, facing justice.
I hope that other victims, not prescribed, will come out of their silence.
This case once again raises the question of the prescription of sexual crimes against minors.
It's my fight today, ”she underlines again.
Following these revelations, the Ministry of Sports had carried out an administrative investigation with the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR).
This highlighted the suspicions weighing on 21 FFSG coaches, including 12 accused for "acts of harassment or sexual assault".
Of these, three were sentenced in the past to firm or suspended prison terms.
More broadly, at the end of December 2020, 370 alleged cases of sexual violence had been reported to the monitoring unit of the Ministry of Sports, in several disciplines (judo, horse riding, motorbike, rollerblading and skateboarding, etc.).
From the same source, 69 of them were reported to the courts.
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Sexual abuse in skating: ex-trainer Gilles Beyer indicted for "sexual assault"
