The victims of sexual violence, Isabelle Demongeot, one of the first sportswoman to have, in 2007, dared to denounce the rapes suffered by her trainer (sentenced to 10 years in prison), calls them "the survivors".
Some 610 cases of violence in sport are currently being investigated within the unit set up in 2020 by Roxana Maracineanu, Minister Delegate for Sports.
“Today, we no longer have the choice but to go through this together, believes Isabelle Demongeot.
With the war in Ukraine, sport came out of its neutrality, if it mobilizes in such a radical way on the subject of violence, we will make progress.
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Speech is freed up, investigations are multiplying, it is now necessary to think of repairs.
As the ex-tenniswoman points out, “the scars are invisible, the repair can last a lifetime”… What do the victims need?
“First that we believe them, notes Isabelle Demongeot.
Things are moving forward.
When I took out my book, many people looked down at me.
Sarah Abitbol, we believed her immediately.
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“I have been angry for a long time, today I want to get involved”
According to her, the surviving victims need to be “given a place for them”.
Isabelle will have waited thirteen years for the French Tennis Federation to reach out to her.
The TV movie dedicated to its history and recently broadcast on TF1 acts as a therapy.
“I stayed hidden for a long time, I was angry for a long time, today I want to get involved.
Because no, we can't move on!
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Financial compensation, creation of an independent organization as for the fight against doping, Isabelle Demongeot has ideas.
“The bodies, including international ones, should see us, the survivors, as experts on this subject.
Personally, I no longer want to tell what happened, others will.
I want to be proactive.
I'm not here to scare, but to reassure, to help these survivors get better.
What therapies work?
How do you approach legal proceedings, how do you confront your attacker?
As many answers as those who dared to speak are waiting.
