France is experiencing another case of sexual abuse on television, this time involving one of the country’s most famous presenters. Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, 74, was accused of sexual assault by 20 women aged 28 to 63.
The journalist, known as the PPDA and one of the most famous figures on French television, was already investigated for a rape claim last year, but the case was dropped.
The story resurfaced in an exclusive news from the investigative website media division It was released this week, which brought together 16 women who publicly condemned the harassment suffered by d’Arvor, and others who spoke on condition of anonymity. France Télévision removed the journalist from the documentary series he presented.
Second sexual abuse case on French television
The host PPDA case isn’t the only case that has shocked France lately. In March of last year, sports journalist Maria Portolano said, “I am not a whore, I am a journalist!” she made her documentary. , who lost their job.
With the PPDA, the sexual abuse would take place in her own study at TV station TF1, where she stayed from 1987 to 2008 until scandals began to surface. Previously, he was the host of Antenne 2 from 1976 to 1983.
She was currently presenting a number of art documentaries for France Télévisions and, under pressure from organizations like the women’s journalists group #MeTooMedias, decided to replace her in later episodes.
Some cases reported in D’Arvor took place in the 1980s and are timed out. However, it is enough to tarnish the journalist’s image and motivate other women who claim to be victims.
First person to accuse TV reporter of sexual harassment In February 2021, 38-year-old writer and journalist Florence Porcel formalized a complaint about rapes that occurred in 2004 and 2009.
The case was dropped after four months because the judge felt there was not enough evidence to investigate d’Arvor. And also for the statute of limitations.
However, the reverberation of the accusations in the French media led 22 women to turn to the police to report the journalist.
According to local media, it filed 17 complaints, 8 of which were new rape allegations – none of which were investigated for exceeding the legal deadline. Three other cases are under investigation.
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In the case of Mediapart, “PPDA: 30 Years of Silence” 20 of these women detailed their PPDA crimes. Many did not know each other and spoke openly about the violence they were subjected to for the first time.
The other two spoke anonymously and both preferred to speak separately from the group by showing their faces.
Two of the alleged victims, aged between 28 and 63, were underage when they were abused. By accounts, most of these sexual assaults occurred shortly after TF1 finished serving the prime time newspaper.
Margaux Coquil-Gleizes, now a teacher, told the program that she met d’Arvor in May of 1985, when she was 17.
He wanted to be a writer and sent samples of his writings to the journalist. One day the young woman received an invitation to visit him at a hotel.
“I was young, naive, impressive, [e estava] I am proud of the interest Poivre d’Arvor will give to my writings.”
He summoned her to his room at the scene. “[PPDA] He pushed me onto the bed, undressed, took off my clothes and got into me.”
“I was paralyzed at that moment. It took me a long time to realize it was a surprise rape.”
Journalist Justine Ducharne is another name to condemn the French anchor. In particular, she didn’t want to elaborate what happened. “A fright,” she said simply.
“At that moment I thought I was alone, I never imagined this could happen to anyone else,” she said.
Marine Turchi, journalist media divisionHe said many of these women took the time to denounce the PPDA for fear of hurting themselves professionally.
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PPDA responds to accusations with defamation lawsuits
The famous French presenter PPDA responded to the accusations of 16 women who filed a complaint against him with a ‘slander’ lawsuit filed last month.
The journalist had attacked the alleged victims while commenting on the case in 2021, accusing the women of hiding in anonymity.
“No one dared to come face to face and tell me what I did was unacceptable.”
The Mediapart website said it invited Poivre d’Arvor to attend the private event, but Poivre d’Arvor declined the invitation. “We asked him to express himself and we asked him to do so, but he refused,” Marine Turchi said.
In the lawsuit against the women who accused him of sexual abuse, the PPDA describes the charges as “a return to puritanism and censorship, cleverly disguised as the so-called protection of women.”
“Since the excitement created by the #MeToo wave, the liberation of women’s voices has sadly suffered from excesses and abuses.”
The 74-year-old presenter also claimed that women sought “fame” and “revenge”.
“No credit can be given to these 16 stargazers, journalists, or writers who suddenly became feminists for supporting a former colleague, a friend, or even a simple activist for the women’s cause.”
“This is about the revenge of women who no longer get attention, or even a glance, from a man they once admired.”
“[Isso] It makes the plaintiffs who are rejected or ignored very painful, it is a pain that drives them to commit the crime of libelous denunciation from belated revenge.”
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Journalist Florence Porcel, who condemned the PPDA last year, said in private that the women victims of the anchor formed a support group:
“We want to show that we are together, that we are facing it, and that Patrick Poivre d’Arvor no longer scares us. It is also important to say that I am still standing and intend to stand up.”
He is in contact with lawyers to initiate further legal action against the French television star.
« Cha m’a paru important devenir, nous formons aujourd’hui un groupe, nous voulons montrer que nous sommes unies, nous faisons block, nous faisons face, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor ne nous fait plus peur »
Florence Porcel, Autricehttps://t.co/tAb6aJreoS#PPDAMediapart pic.twitter.com/3ye6DhJ64t
— Mediapart (@Mediapart) 10 May 2022
In another case in France, a commentator was accused of sexual harassment.
The story of sexual abuse involving the PPDA is more serious than the one accused a year ago by sports journalist Marie Portolano because it includes cases of rape. But that doesn’t make it any less important.
The harassment suffered by Portolano was the location where the documentary they worked together and produced on Canal+’s main sports program, Canal Football Club, was screened in 2016.
The journalist lifted her skirt and groped her hips in front of an audience of 300 for Ménès, who was posing for the photo after a live recording.
He says he found the strength to blame after watching Olivier Dacourt’s documentary “I am not a monkey” about racism in football.
The comments created immediate pressure for Ménès to leave Canal+ with the hashtag #PierreMenesOut trending on Twitter.
After 12 years on the station, he left the channel in July and lost several contracts.
In December 2021, he was detained by police as part of an investigation for sexual assault on a woman during a match at the Parc des Princes stadium. Menes was accused of making inappropriate gestures to the young woman and touching her breasts.
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source: Noticias
