In France, a troubling case emerged involving an officer who compelled women to urinate in his presence, with photographs reportedly taken during some instances. This piece details the events and the consequences faced by the officer, as reported by thelocal.fr.
On Thursday, February 16, a Paris court held the French Ministry of Culture accountable for actions tied to a former senior official within the department. He was accused of drugging drinks to make women urinate publicly in his company on dates, and there are suspicions that alcohol was involved as a vehicle for these assaults.
The ruling comes three years after the former human resources officer was charged with sexual assault, breaches of privacy, and drug-related offenses. He was dismissed from the ministry in early 2019 following police detention and the start of a formal investigation.
The court ordered compensation for the injured woman who had come to discuss a potential job, directing the Ministry of Culture to pay 12,000 euros and an additional 1,500 euros to cover litigation costs.
Reports indicate that the accused welcomed the woman with coffee, and after she had drunk it, invited her to walk in the Tuileries Garden near the ministry building. The victim soon experienced a powerful urge to urinate and pain, forcing her to use a nearby bathroom under the watch of a staff member; she was subsequently hospitalized.
Investigators found that the offender harassed dozens of women over several years, keeping a list of victims on a computer, often accompanied by photographs of urination. The ministry later stated it had no knowledge of the officer’s misconduct during his tenure.
Six of the officer’s female colleagues faced trial for harassment and privacy violations, with compensation also anticipated under the court’s decision. The amounts payable in those cases were not disclosed publicly.
Franck Rester, who served as France’s Minister of Culture when the case was filed, expressed shock at the revelations and called the incident a startling act carried out by a perverse individual.
The convicted official later gave an interview to a French newspaper in which he admitted to having given drugs to ten to twenty women and expressed regret that he had not been stopped sooner.
In a broader context, observers note that this case has drawn international attention because it raises critical questions about accountability within public institutions and the protection of individuals from coercive conduct by officials. It also underscores the importance of robust internal reporting mechanisms and independent investigations to safeguard privacy and safety in workplaces across Europe and beyond, including comparable discussions in North America regarding workplace ethics and compliance.