Europe 1 with AFP 6:04 p.m., February 16, 2022

The Paris prosecutor's office told AFP that an investigation for "non-public insults" was opened after the complaint of a woman who denounced a sexual assault in Paris and called a "whore" by a police officer.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had reacted on Europe 1, believing that this policeman had "no longer his place" within the police.

An investigation for "non-public insults" was opened after the complaint of a woman who denounced a sexual assault in Paris and called a "bitch" by a police officer, AFP learned on Wednesday from the Paris prosecutor's office.

"Following the filing of a complaint on Tuesday at the premises of the General Inspectorate of the National Police, a preliminary investigation was opened on the grounds of non-public insults," said the Paris prosecutor's office.

The penalty incurred is a fine of 1,500 euros.

The policeman thought he had hung up the phone...

The 34-year-old young woman had filed a first complaint on the night of February 4 to 5 with police officers from the police station of the 5th and 6th arrondissements of Paris for "sexual assault while intoxicated", Mediapart reported on Tuesday.

A police officer from this police station had called her back at midday and had left her a voice message asking her to come and complete her complaint.

Believing to have hung up, we hear the official joking with one of his colleagues: "I will call her back anyway because there, she must be sleeping off!"

Then reading aloud an extract from the complaint of the young woman, he adds: "It does not make sense the complaint in fact".

“Ah obviously she refuses the confrontation”, he says then.

"he no longer has his place" in the police, says Darmanin

"She's really a whore. (...) Damn, she refuses the confrontation and more the whore. As if by chance. In fact it was just to break his balls, I'm sure. (...) Whore, big whore", he concludes, before the handset is well hung up.

This affair has aroused numerous criticisms, particularly within feminist circles which regularly denounce the poor consideration by the police of victims of sexual violence.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin estimated on Europe 1 Wednesday that this policeman had "no longer his place" within the national police.

The prefect of police Didier Lallement condemned him on Tuesday "inadmissible remarks" and announced that he had seized the "police of police" (IGPN) of an administrative investigation and requested the suspension of the police officer as a precaution.