Over recent months, reports of sexual assaults on children in after-school settings have surged in Paris and across France. This sector, serving millions of children under 13 daily, is poorly defined and regulated, complicating efforts to measure the issue. In Paris, 19 animators were suspended in 2025 over sexual misconduct allegations.
The after-school sector, overseeing activities outside formal schooling, is grappling with a troubling rise in child sexual assault cases. In Paris, which handles an unprecedented number of students, prosecutors have launched 15 investigations into incidents in nursery schools involving children under 5. Additionally, 19 city animators were suspended this year following related reports.
Isolated yet telling incidents have occurred elsewhere in France. On November 27, in Morigny-Champigny in Essonne, an animator was charged with sexual assaults on 10 children. In September, in Perpignan, a leisure center employee was held in provisional detention, accused of assaults and indecent exposure involving four victims. In July, in Haute-Savoie, another animator faced charges for acts against nine children aged 4 to 10.
This trend, still challenging to fully assess, underscores vulnerabilities in a critical area for daily child care. Officials emphasize the need for stronger oversight to safeguard these vulnerable young people, though exact figures await further confirmation.
