France urged to scrap statute of limitations on rape after 50‑plus women demand change

More than 50 women who say they were sexually assaulted or raped in France have formed a collective called Survivors' Voices and are calling for the abolition of the country's statute of limitations. Under current French law, adults have a 20‑year window to report rape, and victims who were minors have 30 years from the date of the crime. The group argues that the limits deny justice, stating “Rape doesn’t expire, trauma doesn’t expire.”

Among the accusers are Thysia Husiman, who alleges she was raped at 18 in Paris by model agent Jean‑Luc Brunel, and former BBC producer Lisa Brinkworth, who says she was sexually assaulted while undercover for a documentary on Elite Model Management. Brinkworth is taking her case to the European Court of Human Rights after French courts dismissed it as time‑barred. The women also name high‑profile figures such as the late Jeffrey Epstein, his former business partner Brunel, and businessman Mohammed Al Fayed as alleged perpetrators. Brunel died in prison in 2022 while under investigation for sexual‑exploitation crimes.

The campaign seeks legislative reform to remove the time limits, arguing that the statute of limitations currently prevents victims from obtaining justice in criminal proceedings.