A parliamentary commission of inquiry launched against sexual violence in cinema, the world of culture and that of fashion

“It’s time to stop rolling out the red carpet for abusers.” The National Assembly approved Thursday the creation of a commission of inquiry into “abuse and violence” in cinema, audiovisual, live entertainment, fashion and advertising, giving substance to a request from the actress Judith Godrèche. The deputies unanimously adopted the proposed resolution initiated by the ecologist Francesca Pasquini, under the eyes of the actress, present in the stands.

Judith Godrèche, 52, has become one of the leading figures in the fight against sexual violence against minors since she filed a complaint against filmmakers Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon for sexual and physical violence dating back to her adolescence. . A preliminary investigation was opened in Paris against the two directors, who through their respective lawyers refuted the accusations against them.

“This commission must be carried out successfully. It was extremely moving to hear these words in a place where we make the laws, while there is an absence of the law on filming,” reacted Judith Godrèche to AFP after the vote of the deputies.

The actress made a strong impression in February, by calling on the world of cinema during the César ceremony. “I speak, but I don’t hear you,” she declared, dreaming of a “revolution” in the midst of a wave of freedom of speech in French cinema. She continued her fight by asking, first in the Senate then in the Assembly, the creation of a commission of inquiry, taking the example of the one that worked at the Palais Bourbon on the world of sport. “Are we going to keep quiet? I am counting on you, I am counting on you to protect children, to no longer deliver them to the cinema without any protection,” she told the deputies.

The commission of inquiry will have to “evaluate the situation of minors operating in the cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, fashion and advertising sectors”, but also of adults, after the Cultural Affairs Commission extended the envisaged field of investigation. It will have to “identify the mechanisms and failures which allow these possible abuses and violence”, “establish the responsibilities of each actor in this matter”, and “issue recommendations on the responses to be provided”.

Francesca Pasquini welcomed the vote of her counterparts, saying she was eager for the commission to get to work and “take action”. “It’s time to stop rolling out the red carpet for abusers,” she said. “Dear Judith, if the others have not heard you, we have heard you, we deputies. So today we're going to do better than listen to you. We are going to act because there is an emergency,” said MP Perrine Goulet (MoDem), president of the Delegation for Children’s Rights.

The commission of inquiry must be formed on May 13, and begin its hearings on May 20, according to Francesca Pasquini. She should deliver her findings in six months. Its creation comes the day after the publication of a book by actress Isild Le Besco, where she talks at length about her relationship with Benoît Jacquot, which began when she was 16 years old. If she accuses him of having raped her, she says she is not ready to file a complaint against him.

Francesca Pasquini recalled in her speech the extent of sexual violence, with 160,000 minor victims every year according to the estimate of Ciivise (Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children), and 84,000 women, according to the Ministry of the Interior. “The mechanisms of predation, isolation and silence are the same everywhere, but they seem to flourish all the more in (the) industries (of cinema, audiovisual, advertising, fashion and performing arts) which function in isolation, like a big family,” she underlined.

During generally consensual debates, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron received blows from the left, Sophie Taillé-Polian (EELV) and Clémentine Autain (LFI) who recalled his support for the actor Gérard Depardieu, who will be tried in October for sexual assault.