The Observatory for sexist and sex violence in politics organized a Paris rally on Tuesday, May 24, with a few hundred people, to denounce “a Government of Shame”, which castigated Minister Damien Abad, who is accused of rape by two women and of sexual violence, which he refutes.
Many left-wing activists attended, including Sandrine Rousseau, an ecologist. “Women no longer have to be silent. She stated that the era of impunity for sexual violence is over in front of 300 people at Place Saint-Augustin in the 8th district.
There were signs and songs in the audience calling for the resignations of Damien Abad and Gerald Darmanin. They were both targeted by a complaint of rape that was dismissed first and then relaunched, and for which the prosecution asked for dismissal in the early 2022.
Mathilde Viot, a former LFI parliamentary collaborator, and cofounder of the Observatory, an organization created in the wake the MeToo movement to AFP, said, “At a moment when the government just made the fight for violence against women its “great cause de the quinquennium”, and Olivia Gregoire is the spokesperson for the government encouraging the freedom of speech. It is inconceivable that government keeps government a man accused in rape.”
The Observatory of Sexist and Sexual Violence in Politics (which transmitted the testimony of Damien Abad’s accusers to LREM and LR executives) wants to “relay the question of sexual violence in political.”
The association calls for the exclusion of political men who are accused of gender-based and sexual violence. It also demands the creation of a state structure to oversee this monitoring.
Damien Abad, the new Solidarity Minister, said Monday that he was innocent of two rape allegations brought against him by women. He also said that he wouldn’t consider resigning. While two complaints have been dismissed, the courts are currently analyzing a second report.
A minister said that the executive was in a difficult position, between respecting the “word of women” as well as the “principleof the presumption to innocence.” This government member stated that if there is “anything more salient or concrete” about Damien Abad in the next days, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne will “take a decision”.
