The prosecutor’s office in Paris has opened a preliminary investigation for “violation of a minor of 15 years,” against Gabriel Matzneff, according to an announcement this Friday. The decision has been taken by the prosecutor of the Republic, Rémy Heitz, after having analysed the book Le Consentement (consent) of Vanessa Springora, which came out Thursday to the sale and on that account the relationship remained in the mid-eighties, when I was a teenager of 14 years, with the writer, that in the time I was 50.
Despite the fact that the author has stated that his intention was not to denounce Matzneff, who is now 83 years old, to justice, it has decided to investigate on their own. The research, led by the Central Office for Repression of Violence against Persons (OCRVP, for its acronym in French), focusing specifically on the person of Springora, but according to the office of the prosecutor will seek more alleged victims of the writer, that in several of his works, such as Les moins de seize ans (under 16 years) tells us sexual relations maintained with adolescents, boys and girls, up to 11 years old.
“At the age of 14, it is not normal for a man of 50 will wait for the output of class (…) not find you in his bed, with his penis in the mouth, at the time of the snack,” writes Springora about his relationship with Matzneff. The book, which is a meditation on the limits of consent in the case of a relationship so unbalanced —and in a country like France, which until today has not fixed by law a minimum age of consent for sexual relations—, also makes a critique of the world of the French intellectual of the time, who never raised his voice against a man like Matzneff and even in 2013 he was awarded the prix Renaudot. And that this, as he recalls in Le Consentement, is shown in his works “far from any contrition, and even any questioning” of their acts with minors. In fact, in a replica that sent the writer to L’express on the same day of the publication of the book, accused Springora you want to make of him “a pervert” and “predator” and want to launch it “to the cauldron cursed the that have been launched these last times the photographer Hamilton, the filmmakers Woody Allen and Roman Polanski”. In no time, it underlined the magazine before posting the replica of Matzneff, does this “no mea culpa, nor ask for forgiveness.” Speaking to Le Parisien, Springora also said Thursday that all institutions have “failed” to curb an individual as Matzneff.
“beyond the facts described by Vanessa Springora in his book, the research is devoted to identify all the other potential victims who may have suffered violations of the same nature on the national territory or abroad”, said the prosecutor’s office in a press release.
Your case, even if you come to the conclusion that it was a violation, would have prescribed. The Government reformed in 2018, the law against gender-based violence and expanded from 20 to 30 years the statute of limitations on rape of a minor of 15 years, with what is now the victim may file a complaint for this offense up to 48 years (the date you start counting from the majority of age of the victim). Springora has 47 years, but the reform of the law is not retroactive and therefore applies to the regulations in force at the time, which makes the alleged crime of Matzneff is not punishable.
nevertheless, remember to Le Monde, the prosecutor’s office adopted some years ago the policy of open up a consistently research when you know of cases of possible rape or sexual assault against a minor, even if these acts have been prescribed. Although the research may in this case lead to a process, this “allows us not to leave without responding to the victims,” says the newspaper. At the end of the research, before it is closed by prescribing the facts, the prosecution proposes that in these cases a meeting between the victim and the alleged perpetrator. “We have obtained confessions in this confrontation, letters of apology,” explained the former attorney of the Republic, François Molins, Le Monde.
in Addition, it is not ruled out that there may be some victim whose case has not prescribed yet. After the notification of the office of the prosecutor, the secretaries of State for Equality, Marlène Schiappa, and for the protection of children, Adrien Taquet, made a “solemn appeal” to “all the people who have had knowledge of acts of pedophiles committed in this case or in others, come to the justice to see that justice is done”.
“All forms of pedophilia must be fought with the greatest firmness, and reported consistently and without ambiguity”, said in a press release senior officials, who returned to “greet the value” of Springora with his book. This, coupled with the recent statements of actress Adèle Haenel, who late last year accused the film director Christophe Ruggia been harassed and have had touching between 2001 and 2004, when she was between 12 and 15 years and him between 36 and 39, have been reopened in France the debate on sexual violence and their treatment by society and the institutions.
