A new scandal has just tarnished the universal national service (SNU). An investigation for sexual assault was opened following the complaint of a teenager, denouncing acts allegedly committed by a supervisor within the framework of the SNU, we learned on Sunday from the parquet floor of Châlons-en-Champagne. . The preliminary investigation, opened for “aggravated sexual assault” against this young girl born in 2007, was entrusted to the Châlons-en-Champagne police station, said prosecutor Ombeline Mahuzier, confirming information from the weekly Marianne.
“The facts were allegedly committed by a supervisor who has no known criminal record, as part of an SNU carried out in a high school in the Châlons sector,” added Ombeline Mahuzier. The magistrate is “not aware of any other reports concerning him”.
Accusations of sexual harassment, racism and humiliation
For the Secretary of State in charge of youth, Sarah El Haïry, in a reaction sent to AFP, “the inadmissible behavior of an individual cannot discredit the commitment of the 9,000 other professional supervisors trained to support young people in their UNS”. She underlines that “each supervisor is subject to a check of good repute” and that “the information feedback circuits have been specified in order to provide the victims with all the help and support they need quickly”.
A major project by Emmanuel Macron, launched in 2019 with the aim of eventually making it compulsory, the SNU offers teenagers aged 15 to 17 the opportunity to participate in a free “cohesion stay”, including sports, cultural and intellectual activities. , then to an 84-hour mission of general interest. Controversial, the SNU only concerns young volunteers for the moment – 32,000 in 2022. The president explained on April 23 that he wanted it to be “gradually increased”, but “without making it compulsory throughout the country overnight”. .
In mid-April, Sarah El Haïry seized the public prosecutor after accusations of sexual harassment, racism and humiliation during SNU stays in Hauts-de-Seine, in June and July 2022. According to a revealed document by the weekly Politis, the facts were allegedly committed by a commander and a lieutenant-colonel against tutors and volunteers.