France sexual abuse scandal drives EU-wide police operation

France is confronting a wave of sexual violence cases, highlighted by the murder of 11‑year‑old Lyhanna R. B., the arrest of singer Patrick Bruel on multiple rape charges, and revelations of widespread abuse in schools and medical settings. Activists have pressured Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin to review 70,000 complaints involving minors, while President Emmanuel Macron ordered the removal of the gendarmerie chief.

In parallel, Europol’s Project Medusa, coordinated with Germany and the United Kingdom, uncovered an international network of 156 men who allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted their wives or partners, recording and sharing the assaults online. The investigation involved authorities from France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil and the United States, identifying dozens of new online communities linked to the abuse. Officials say the operation shows a systematic, cross‑border pattern of “chemical submission” and will lead to further prosecutions and tighter controls on illicit drug distribution.