In Vannes, France, a trial commenced for Joël Le Scouarnec, a former surgeon accused of raping or sexually abusing 299 victims, predominantly children who were under his care. Investigators and his own detailed notebooks reportedly depict a series of violent acts extending over three decades.
During the trial, the 74-year-old defendant confessed, “I committed odious acts,” acknowledging that his victims were “only children.” Le Scouarnec faces a potential additional 20 years in prison if convicted, complementing the 15-year sentence he is already serving following a 2020 conviction for child rape and sexual assault. Although admitting to certain acts, Le Scouarnec argues that he is not guilty of the crimes he is accused of in every case. “I am aware that these injuries are irreparable,” he stated, emphasizing his intent to take responsibility, despite not being able to reverse the past.
Some survivors struggle to recall the assaults as they were unconscious when they occurred. One man, recalling an incident from 1995, testified about his experience during a medical consultation when he was a young boy. “I remember certain things in the recovery room. I was in total panic. I called my dad,” he shared with the court.
The trial is progressing against a backdrop of significant social change in France, where there is increasing momentum to challenge long-standing taboos regarding sexual abuse. This is partly inspired by cases such as Gisèle Pélicot’s, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband, along with other men, who received substantial prison sentences. Prior to the trial, activists advocating for the rights of women and children gathered outside the courthouse. With placards reading “Impunity is over,” “We believe you,” and “Silence = Violence,” they demanded a change.
The investigation into Le Scouarnec’s actions began in 2017 after a six-year-old neighbor alleged inappropriate touching over a boundary fence. A subsequent search of his residence unearthed over 300,000 photographs, alongside 650 disturbing video files, including pedophilic content, as well as diaries wherein he declared himself a pedophile and chronicled his activities.
Le Scouarnec’s prior conviction in 2020 involved the sexual abuse of four children, including his nieces, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence. He confessed to acts of child abuse dating back to 1985-86, although some cases could not be legally pursued due to expired statutes of limitations.
The trial in Vannes, set to last four months, will scrutinize the alleged abuses carried out between 1989 and 2014. The charges involve 158 men and 141 women, with the average victim being around 11 years old. Investigation documents reveal that the doctor exploited his access to hospital rooms to assault both boys and girls.
One victim, Amélie Lévêque, recounted her experiences as a nine-year-old patient in 1991. “I didn’t really remember the operation. I remembered the post-operation, a surgeon who was quite mean,” she recalled. The revelation that her name appeared in Le Scouarnec’s notebooks years later left Lévêque overwhelmed. “That was the beginning of the answers to a lifetime of questions, and then it was the beginning of the descent into hell,” she told a public broadcaster.
Le Scouarnec, who continued to practice despite a 2005 conviction for possessing and importing child sexual abuse material, was controversially appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Several child protection organizations are participating as civil parties in the trial, expressing hopes of strengthening the legal protection against such abuses in the future.
