Consensus: What stage is the case against Gabriel Matzneff at? Let’s take stock

It appeared on January 2, 2020 Consent by Vanessa Springora. The author recounted the influence to which Gabriel Matzneff had subjected her when she was 14 years old while he was 50. Despite the statute of limitations of the facts dating back to the 1980s, the 87-year-old writer is still under investigation for rape of a minor under 15.

Beyond its literary qualities, Vanessa Springora’s book had a concrete effect on justice in France. In April 2021, the Billon law was approved, impacting the fact in the judicial texts that under the age of 15, any minor is considered non-consenting for a sexual act with an adult. Two years later, courts continue to review the Matzneff case and encourage potential victims to testify.

An investigation is still underway to collect any testimonies

Following the publication of Consentthe Paris Prosecutor’s Office had opened a preliminary investigations for rape committed on a minor under 15 years. If the events, which occurred in the 1980s, fell within the statute of limitations, French justice aimed to collect testimonies from other potential victims of Gabriel Matzneff.

This call to witnesses was valid for “all other possible victims who have suffered crimes of the same nature on the national territory or abroad”. According to Vanessa Springora, Matzneff practiced “sex tourism,” particularly on children in Thailand.

Three years after the opening of this investigation, the investigation is still ongoing. Second Information about Franceaimed at the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office “to investigate whether certain facts are prosecutable despite their age. » Léa Forestier, Vanessa Springora’s lawyer, welcomed the symbolic meaning of the opening of this investigation, which she defines as “Strong message for other potential victims for whom no action would be prescribed. »

In a 2021 book, The deadliest weapon, Francesca Gee she had also accused Matzneff of sexual abuse, at the time when she was fifteen and he was thirty-seven. Second Information about France, “Several other women also testified to similar prescribed facts. »

Matzneff openly denies these accusations, citing “mad mutual love” (and “regrets” sex tourism).

From the beginning of the story, the writer denied Vanessa Springora’s accusations, contesting the portrait painted by the publisher. However, he spoke out regrets regarding its past child abuse practices in Asia: “ A tourist, a foreigner, should not behave like this. (…) Of course I regret it »discuss, “ at the time, no one ever talked about crime ».

In 2021, the 87-year-old author self-published the book Vanessavirus, in which he persisted in discussing their relationship as “a crazy mutual love”.

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