MP Émilie Bonnivard denounces a court decision after her acquittal in a threats case

“We really need (...) for our judges to be trained”: LR MP Émilie Bonnivard denounced Friday in the chamber a decision of the Chambéry criminal court in a case where she was a victim, during the debates on the integral law. Wishing to illustrate what is called “secondary victimization”, that is to say the harm suffered by a victim due to the faulty or mistreating response provided by the judicial system, the member for Savoie gave her own story as an example.

“A year ago, I filed a complaint against a man who wanted to rape, sodomize and strangle me. So. As do my colleagues. And today, the court rendered its judgment, this evening (...) this gentleman was acquitted of what he did to my colleagues and me,” testified Émilie Bonnivard, her voice strangled. “For months, we received death and rape threats. I even had an emergency button from the prefect with the gendarme who made rounds around my office. He called my colleague in the middle of the night (...) telling her that he was going to slit her throat,” she continued, specifying her desire to appeal.

“Our judges must be trained, trained, trained, trained”

“In terms of secondary victimization, you see, when a court decision is not up to par, well, it's incredibly violent. (...) We really, really, really, really need this law now, and for our judges to be trained, trained, trained, trained,” she concluded.

According to Le Dauphiné, a 62-year-old man was sentenced Friday to three years in prison, one of which was suspended, after having "threatened the family affairs judge of Chambéry, a lawyer, the delegate of the rights defender, doctors, and even the MP Émilie Bonnivard with death or rape." The court, on the other hand, “relaxed the defendant from part of the facts, the offenses not being sufficiently specific”, in particular with regard to “threats concerning the deputy”, according to the regional daily.

The deputies began on Thursday the examination of the comprehensive law against sexist and sexual violence, debates during which the painful personal history of elected officials was invited on several occasions.