#Sciencesporcs case: investigation opened for rape in Toulouse

A preliminary investigation was opened after a complaint for the rape of a student from the Institute of Political Studies (IEP) in Toulouse, prosecutor Dominique Alzeari told AFP on Tuesday.

These investigations come as messages from students claiming to be victims or witnesses of gender-based behavior and violence, including rape, in several IEPs in France have multiplied under the hashtag #sciencesporcs.

"The victim of the actions disseminated on social networks (...) formalized a complaint received at the Toulouse police station on February 6, 2021", added the magistrate who "immediately ordered a preliminary investigation, entrusted to the Toulouse family and minors brigade.

The facts would go back to 2018. "At this stage it is premature to advance the fact that other similar facts in connection with this case could have been brought to my knowledge and that of the investigators, who will immediately focus on finalize their investigations ", he concluded.

Testimonies point to the silence of IEP directors 

Several politicians, including the Minister responsible for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa, on Tuesday gave their support to the wave of denunciations of gender-based violence in the Institutes of Political Studies which is growing on social networks.

These testimonies reproach the directors of these establishments which form the elite of the public service for their silence and the impunity from which the perpetrators of these acts, students or teachers, would benefit.

"Full support for student victims of rape who courageously denounce the facts via #SciencesPorcs," Marlène Schiappa tweeted Tuesday, inviting victims to "report these crimes" on the government platform against gender-based and sexual violence (arretonslesviolences.gouv. Fr).

Full support for student victims of rape who courageously denounce the facts via # SciencesPorcs # MeToo

‍ You can report these crimes on https://t.co/7LUx3IDHAD, 24/7.

trained police officers and gendarmes listen to you and accompany you in filing a complaint.

pic.twitter.com/0oZFEFLuun

- MarleneSchiappa (@MarleneSchiappa) February 9, 2021

Many messages on social networks 

The mobilization started in particular with the IEP of Bordeaux, where a student Facebook page has gathered since the end of January nearly 150 testimonies denouncing gender-based and sexual violence, including rape, leading the school administration to announce the establishment of a working group to better prevent them, according to local media.

Many other similar accounts of other IEPs in France, notably the one in Toulouse, have since poured into social media.

The keyword #sciencesporcs is inspired by #balancetonporc, launched in October 2017 after the implication of the American producer Harvey Weinstein, accused of multiple rapes, and which promoted a release of the word on gender-based and sexual violence in Many countries.