Between 5000 and 7000 Gang Rapes Each Year in France

Mahamadou Doucouré

For several months, Nina and Stéphanie, aged 15 and 16, were the victims of gang rapes in the cellars of the Fontenay-sous-Bois estate. (…)

Nina was 16 the first time she was raped. She was coming back from the cinema when she was accosted by some boys, barely older than she was: they started hitting her then abusing her. This horror would become her day-to-day experience: for six months, Nina was beaten, raped by several "jeunes" from the estate at the same time, every day. Others watched. They threatened her: if she speaks, they will burn her apartment and attack her little brother.

He wasn't just one of the leaders of the tournantes [gang rapes] "organised" in the Fontenay-sous-Bois estate, but without doubt the most violent. Mahamadou Doucouré, also suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend and kidnapping her son, is one of the central figures in this trial.

13 years after the facts, Nina and Stéphanie are going to face their torturers. The latter admit having had sexual relations with them, but deny their forced character. For them, the two women were consenting.

...Between 5000 and 7000 gang rapes are said to be committed each year in France. According to the associations, if these crimes are often associated with the banlieue, in reality they are committed in all milieus.

 At 16, Nina was a "very pretty girl", slim, with long black hair, brown, almond-shaped eyes, almost slanting. She can't say how many men raped her. The justice system has found 18 of them, 15 of whom will face judgement in the Créteil Court of Assizes for Minors starting on Tuesday. Nina recalls that on some evenings, in the cellars or stair cages in the Fontenay-sous-Bois estate (Val-de-Marne), there were "at least 25". Witnesses saw "about 50" boys "forming a queue"..