Sexual assault: Congressman Eric Coquerel won’t be worried

Sexual assault: Congressman Eric Coquerel won’t be worried

The investigation against LFI Congressman Eric Coquerel, alleging sexual harassment and assault, has been dropped.

In July 2022. Following a complaint filed by Sophie Tissier, a left-wing activist and figure in the yellow movement, an investigation into sexual harassment and assault is opened against Éric Coquerel (LFI), president of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly . Waistcoat. Then he tells FranceInfo facts that date back to one evening in 2014: “ He started flirting pretty heavy, then made inappropriate and hurtful gestures. I remember her grabbing my waist, her hand on my hips, her touching my buttocks, etc. At the same time, the politician, who does not hold back, denies it altogether.

Mismanagement within the party

This case then confronts the party with the limits of its methods of dealing with cases of sexist and sexual violence within it, while accusations against several of its members multiply. In a survey, Mediapart returns to the matter, explaining that the investigative unit acts only in case of ” formal relationship » :

“On Thursday June 30, the follow-up committee against sexist and sexual violence of La France Insoumise divided a press release, stating that it had “Never received any reports […] for whatever reason” Ref [Éric Coquerel]. This was confirmed by Sarah Legrain, deputy for Paris and co-head of this unit. However, she mainly deals with files if they are the subject of a report from a person who claims to be a victim – this is a rule established by LFI. It is this rule that was applied in the recent case of journalist Taha Bouhafs, who was disconnected before the legislative elections. The cell therefore did not catch itself, nor revelations of chat, or indirect reports that have been circulating for years in certain militant circles. At the time, however, the rebels had asked – in vain – for an internal investigation. Again, for lack of a formal report from a victim. But the episode reminds us that the direction of the movement had indeed been questioned over Éric Coquerel. »

Mediapart

Activist Caroline De Haas, at the time, also took issue with LFI on the inefficiency of its procedures: ” When a press article exists, it can serve as a report and an investigation should be conducted “, explains. Otherwise, “ this leads to dangerous situations, for the victims, for the people involved and for the victims’ trust in the system “.

“I will go until the end of the procedure”

On Monday, February 20, the Paris prosecutor’s office has yet to decide: the investigation is closed without further action. He believes that the offense is not sufficiently characterized, due to a lack of tangible evidence that Eric Coquerel is the subject of criminal proceedings.

Sophie Tissier’s lawyer does not consider himself defeated, explaining a AFP extension than your client “intends to use all legal avenues to challenge this classification. He remains a victim of the behavior. And Sophie Tissier adds: “I will go to the end of the procedure to have my status as a victim recognized and to acknowledge the guilt of Eric Coquerel.. »

Photo credit: Drutchy2017, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Source: Madmoizelle

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