Around 30 nursery and primary schools in Paris, including ten in the 11th arrondissement, are affected by complaints of sexual assaults mostly committed by after-school animators. Over 50 agents have been suspended in the last three years for such reports. Parents voice their fear and frustration amid the rising cases.
In Paris's 11th arrondissement, the scandal of sexual assaults by after-school animators has spread to several nursery schools, sowing panic among parents. Laura*, mother of a 4-year-old boy at Servan school, says: « I keep wondering if my son could have been around that animator. » On November 21, a new complaint was filed for an assault on a 3-year-old girl at the same school, adding to cases at Bullourde, Alphonse-Baudin, Titon, and Parmentier schools.
According to the Paris prosecutor's office, around 30 Parisian schools are affected, with ten in the 11th. Over the last three years, more than 50 animators have been suspended for sexual violence against minors, and since the start of the year, 52 have been, with 15 judicial investigations opened. The head of the juvenile prosecutor's office, Lisa-Lou Wipf, confirmed a « very clear » increase in reports.
The Paris city hall's response has sparked outrage. The first deputy in charge of education reportedly said: « Don't worry, we're in line with national statistics, » according to Inès de Raguenel, vice-president of the Changer Paris group (LR). « I thought they were totally out of touch, » she denounces, adding that parents feel « despised and abandoned, » as stated by the president of the SOS Périscolaire collective.
Rachida Dati, Culture Minister and Paris mayoral candidate, has been challenging Anne Hidalgo's team since 2013, when the school rhythm reforms led to hasty recruitment with no strict criteria beyond a clean criminal record. She proposes: « No animator, nor any other agent, should be left alone with a child anymore. » Parents of nearly 70 children are involved in these complaints, highlighting the urgent need for périscolaire reform in Paris.
