Photo from the archives of the ENS, in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon.

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PHILIPPE MERLE / AFP

The Ecole normale supérieure (ENS) of Lyon in turmoil?

The Ministry of Higher Education and Research has just mandated a fact-finding mission after several reports of sexual violence involving students, and management by the establishment criticized.

In a mission letter sent on March 24 to the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR), Frédérique Vidal's chief of staff asks for the evaluation of the measures put in place by the ENS to Lyon “in the fight against gender-based and sexual violence, and in particular prevention, training and listening tools”.

The Lyon school has been shaken since the beginning of the year by several testimonies questioning the behavior of some students, mirroring "a management that is not aware of the seriousness of the facts", according to Clément Luy, elected student at board of directors.

Also sitting on the CHSCT, Clément Luy evokes a "series of reports that have reached our ears" since January with "six emails that say" I suffered violence, an assault, a rape, to varying degrees ", with at least four reports done to justice ”.

A rally "against gender-based and sexual violence" scheduled for Thursday

Information that the Lyon prosecutor's office is not immediately able to comment on.

The Franceinfo site evokes eleven reports sent to elected students and to equality referents since September.

“The presidency very favorably welcomes the commission of inquiry which will shed light on the work in progress at the ENS de Lyon for the development of a lasting system for listening and combating sexual and gender-based violence.

We hope that this will help restore a dialogue respectful of each and everyone within the school, ”reacts in writing Jean-François Pinton, president of the ENS.

"Any report must give rise to an administrative investigation by the school so that people do not believe that they can commit this kind of act with impunity," said Clément Luy for his part.

A rally "against gender-based and sexual violence" is scheduled for Thursday at the call of two feminist and LGBTI + student associations.

A report delivered within two months

A similar action to say "stop denial" took place at the end of February in the garden of the establishment.

Some protesters then put up posters on the door of the president's office demanding his resignation.

The mission letter from the IGESR indicates that it should submit its report by the end of May, "in order to allow the implementation of the first measures as soon as the start of the school year in September".

In 2019, a survey carried out within the school by the CGT-ENS revealed that 46% of the women questioned indicated that they had suffered sexist discrimination, and sexual assault for 15% of them.

World

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Miscellaneous

Nîmes: Five minors indicted for the rape of two teenage girls

  • Lyon

  • Society

  • Education

  • Higher Education

  • Frederique Vidal

  • Sexual violence

  • Investigation