Child crime, child prostitution… CIIVISE 2 reveals its roadmap

With a new presidency at the head following the dismissal of juvenile judge Édouard Durand, the Commission on Sexual Violence against Children presented its new composition and expanded its missions on Monday 5 February. Without reassuring child protection associations.

After several weeks of uncertainty about its future, the new version of the Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence against Children (CIIVISE) finally returned on Monday 5 February. Now chaired by Sébastien Boueilh, founder of the Colosse aux pieds d’église association, assisted in his task by the forensic pediatrician Caroline Rey-Salmon, the body has unveiled its new composition and its roadmap.

Less collection of the words of victims of sexual violence

In the fight against incest, which was the main function of CIIVISE chaired by the tandem formed by the juvenile judge Édouard Durand and the former director of the association Nathalie Mathieu, the commission will now have to extend its activity to other missions: child prostitution, the fight against cybercrime, disabled minors or even minors who commit violence.

However, assures Sébastien Boueilh, “there is no break with CIIVISE 1”. “We took the slogan ‘we believe you’ and completed it with ‘we support you’ to show the operational side of CIIVISE 2”he added at the end of the first meeting of the commission, held under the auspices of Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Labour, Health and Solidarity.

The 39 new members of this CIIVISE were also revealed. In this college “multidisciplinary and transversal”magistrates, lawyers, police officers, health workers and members of the associations Colossus with feet of clay, Face à l’incest, l’Enfant bleu and e-Enfance.

The new president of CIIVISE also declared that the main mission of the organization will be that “monitor the implementation of the 82 recommendations” which was developed in the CIIVISE 1 report in November 2023, in consultation “with the different ministries”. For the moment, however, very few have been taken up and applied.

“We will work on the management and implementation of the training plan intended for adults in contact with children”declared the founder of Colossus with feet of clay, who also announced that a “questionnaire for minor victims” will be developed so that it is “deployed nationally and intended for all people accompanying minor victims”. The goal is to“refine prevention” highlighting “the obstacles encountered on their journey”.

There is no question, however, of continuing the public meetings throughout France, initiated by the previous management of the commission, and which had allowed the collection of 27,000 testimonies. No announcement even on the systems put in place in recent years, such as the specialized listening platform or the website intended to collect the words of victims of sexual violence.

“Now let’s get into action!” »said Sébastien Boueilh, for whom CIIVISE must enter an “operational phase”, with “support and training in the field” as a priority.

Read also: Édouard Durand: “CIIVISE responds to a vital need, for the victims and for society”

Disappointment and mistrust towards child protection actors

If Catherine Vautrin had told AFP that she had granted it ” Trust “ to the new presidency of CIIVISE for “instill a new perspective and continue the work already started”this is not the case at all for many child protection actors.

Last December, twelve members of CIIVISE announced their resignation to the press to protest against the dismissal of Judge Durand and his vice-president Nathalie Mathieu and to warn against a “change of doctrine” of the instance.

The first interview that Sébastien Boueilh had given to RTL, in the company of the former Secretary of State for Children Charlotte Caubel, had not reassured them, the latter had declared that “CIIVISE must adopt a global, non-divisive and -gender.

The appointment of Caroline Rey-Salmon alongside him also raises questions for those involved in child protection. A member of CIIVISE when it was created in 2021, the pathologist and pediatrician resigned in 2022 in opposition to a recommendation made by the commission’s management: to make reporting by doctors mandatory.

The medical examiner also made ambiguous observations regarding “parental alienation syndrome”, a pseudo-concept not scientifically validated, but still used in courts to discredit the words of child victims of violence.

Furthermore, if the new management guarantees that the recommendations of CIIVISE 1 will be implemented, some such as the imprescriptibility of sexual violence against minors or the obligation to report by doctors will be eliminated. “debated”promised Vice President Caroline Rey-Salmon.

Add Madmoizelle to your favorites on Google News so you don’t miss any of our articles!