PARIS — A lawyer representing the victim in a horrific mass rape case in France slammed the apparent lack of interest from male lawmakers at a hearing Thursday.
Speaking to a room of mostly female senators, Stéphane Babonneau — who represented Gisèle Pelicot in the proceedings against the 51 men from all walks of life who were convicted of raping and sexually assaulting her — said that French society clearly still had not woken up to the “devastation” caused by sexual violence. If it had, Babonneau said, “there would be more men here this morning.”
“Such crimes generate effects on entire generations. There are few crimes that are committed today that will have effects on children who are not yet born,” Babonneau said.
In the footage broadcast by the Senate, there were only female lawmakers visible in the sparsely filled room. The hearing was only open to senators, not the general public. France’s Senate is 64 percent male.
