French minister promises better protection for victims of sexual abuse in the military – Le Monde

PARIS (Reuters) – French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu is setting up a special task force to better protect victims of sexual violence in the army and punish perpetrators, he announced in an editorial published by Le Monde newspaper.

The task force, whose job is to review disciplinary procedures and “develop concrete recommendations for the leadership of commanders,” is headed by the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The initiative aims to address the problem of sexual harassment and abuse within the military, an institution that has traditionally been characterized by silence on such issues and has come under increasing pressure after servicewomen began reporting it in local media this year to denounce sexual violence.

KEY QUOTE(S)

“A soldier joins the armies of France to protect, not to attack. So, yes, sexual assault or harassment makes you a victim, even if you are a soldier,” Lecornu wrote in the comment.

CONTEXT

This move comes against the backdrop of a broader cultural confrontation with sexism and gender-based violence in France, highlighted by recent high-profile cases in which well-known figures from politics, show business, sport and science are facing allegations.

WHAT’S NEXT

The task force will assess prevention measures, victim protection and sanctions against attackers by the end of May. The results and recommendations will be presented to Parliament.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)