Prosecuted for sexual harassment, a non-commissioned officer in the office of the former French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, was sentenced Thursday to a two-year suspended prison sentence and a three-year ban on practicing by the Paris court. At the hearing on May 16, the prosecutor requested two years in prison, including 20 months suspended, against Julien M. as well as his ineligibility, which leads to his exclusion from the army and the loss of his rank. The accused has ten days to appeal. A civil hearing will be held on December 16 for the question of damages owed to the victim.
Me Elodie Maumont, lawyer for the victim, estimated that the decision is “very satisfactory for the civil party and the victim, it is a fair decision in view of the facts committed and the consequences for the civil party who will not return to the ranks”. “#Metoo of the Armed Forces or not, we should be able to obtain this kind of decision in all cases of this type,” she added.
“A fair return of things”
The events lasted several months from September 2021 at the secretariat of the military cabinet at the Hôtel de Brienne, residence of the minister where the victim worked with Julien M., her partner and hierarchical superior, at the time sergeant. The president of the court had listed the sexual allusions imposed on the complainant by Julien M.: “you will laugh less once you have been sodomized”, “if you do not do your job well, I will fuck you”.
To explain his actions and his “heavy jokes”, the accused, 41 years old, married and father of four children, declared that “the workload and the disproportionate mental load (were) the reasons why I lost my footing , but that’s absolutely no excuse.” Present in court and very moved by the deliberations, the victim, aged 21 at the time of the events, indicated that “it’s a fair return of things, we are a bit equal and everyone gets back to their lives”. “It’s the culmination of three years of anger and fear, it’s a huge relief,” she said.