The third minister of the newly formed government of French President Emmanuel Macron faced allegations of rape or attempted rape, but this case is very different.
The minister in question is a female doctor, and the allegations she faces have rekindled the fierce debate between patients and doctors about malpractice.
Last week, two women filed a formal complaint accusing Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, a former Under Secretary of International Development, a former Renew Europe MEP, a gynecologist, for the rape revealed by the weekly magazine Marianne. Another complaint was filed against her in the assault. Authorities began an investigation in May to determine if there was any reason to prosecute the minister. The woman who complained says Zacharopoulou invaded them without their consent during her medical procedure.
A third whistleblower said Zacharopoulou had committed “gynecological violence” in an interview with her. French tv.. Women say they suffer from endometriosis, a disorder in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus, and Zacharopoulou ignores previous medical results and “inside” without seeking consent. Claimed to have carried out an “inspection”. The procedure was “extremely painful,” the woman added.
Through a statement from a lawyer, Zacharopoulou denied all claims and called them “unacceptable and rebellious.” She added that she never imposed tests on patients without the consent of the patients.
Zacharopoulou’s office did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.
Being cornered
Women’s advocates say the high-profile case is a clear reminder of the epidemic of obstetric violence in France. However, some obstetricians and gynecologists are fighting back to distinguish between rape and malpractice. Both sides say that national law is too inaccurate.
“There is no law prohibiting gynecological and obstetric violence,” said Marie Helene Lahai, a Belgian lawyer and book author on challenging current childbirth practices. Lahaye has worked extensively on obstetric and gynecological violence in both France and Belgium, and she contributed to a 2018 report commissioned by then-French Minister of Gender Equality Marlène Schiappa. The report found that the violence committed by French obstetricians and gynecologists was systemic and not limited to isolated cases.
“There are a few legal gaps, so we have to rely on the more general ones we can find in the law. The most similar at the criminal level is the definition of rape,” Lahaye adds. I did.
According to the 2002 law, practitioners must seek the consent of a patient before performing any medical procedure. According to criminal law, if you do not do so, committing an act of intrusion “by violence, detention, intimidation, or surprise” is considered rape.
French law does not take intent into characterizing rape. Rape is defined as “the act of sexual penetration of any nature, or the act of oral genitals performed against another person or the author by violence, detention, or intimidation.” Or surprise. Gynecological and obstetric violence is not limited to non-consensual penetration, but also includes inappropriate comments, medical misinformation, or offensive and harmful practices.
This legal gap prevents victims from complaining or seeking compensation from attackers. In most cases, victims turn to women’s rights groups, but avoid complaining, Lahaye said.
“In France, obstetric and gynecological violence is completely taboo. Sonia Bisch, founder of Stopaux Violences Obstétricaleset Gynécologiques, one of the leading patient groups on this issue, said:
Women’s rights activists want French authorities to define such violence and amend the law to provide the victims with the necessary remedies. They also say that medical professionals generally have an urgent need to revise their medical practices.
Few politicians have spoken about this issue. In 2017, Schiappa faced a backlash from a French obstetrician-gynecologist and obstetrician union after being accused of obstetric violence against women.
The union is still fighting back after allegations of rape against Zacharopoulou. In an editorial by Journal du Dimanche last Sunday, union president Joëlle Belaisch-Allart said that medical experts “very much” about using the word rape to describe gynecological examinations “performed without sexual intent.” I’m worried about it. ”
In a 2021 survey compiled by international NGO Make Mothers Matter, 29% of French respondents said they experienced obstetric violence, but there are few up-to-date statistics on gynecological and obstetric violence. For campaigners, by avoiding problem evaluation, authorities can deny the problem. In the future, Lahaye hopes that complaints about Zacharopoulou will raise awareness.
“At some point, I think the government has to actually figure out the subject, not to spoil things,” she said. “I feel that there is a will from obstetricians and gynecologists and doctors that we didn’t have at all a few years ago. Well, we too. [do something] This is to take this dimension into account. “
Zacharopoulou is the third minister of the Macron government accused of serious sexual assault. Last year, the judge suspended the investigation of previous allegations against Macron’s interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, who had not been charged. Damian Abbado, the new minister of solidarity and disability, is facing a preliminary investigation by a court in Paris following an attempted rape, but he denies it. Several women have accused Abbado of sexually assaulting.
France has fallen into political uncertainty after the indecisive parliamentary elections, but Macron is expected to remodel at least part of his government in the coming days.
“Abbado cannot survive the mod,” the majority of Big Wigs told France Amfo, repeating past statements from advisors to Playbook Paris. The future of Zacharopoulou and the messages it sends are also issues.
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