A rare public trial opens in Paris child abuse case as parents seek a national wake-up call

Parents’ groups in France are advocating for greater awareness of long-overlooked child abuse cases as a high-profile trial begins in Paris involving a school employee accused of sexually assaulting nine young children.

In a bold move mirroring the public approach taken by Gisèle Pelicot during her widely publicized rape and drug trial, the parents involved in this case opted for open proceedings—unlike typical juvenile abuse trials held in private. Their attorneys stated that several families sought to emulate Pelicot’s philosophy of shifting societal shame from victims to perpetrators.

The trial centers on a 36-year-old male defendant, whose identity remains confidential, charged with sexual abuse of children aged three to five. The assaults allegedly occurred during bathroom breaks, lunch breaks, and after-school care sessions between August 2024 and April 2025. The child survivors were not required to attend the trial, though a judge previously shared transcripts of their testimonies with prosecutors.

The accused also faces additional charges of sexually harassing two colleagues and assaulting one. He denies all allegations and is scheduled to serve up to a decade in prison if convicted. His legal team has declined to comment to media outlets prior to court proceedings.

Barka Zerouali, co-founder of the advocacy group MeToo Ecole (MeToo School), addressed demonstrators outside the courthouse, stating, “We need a nationwide reckoning.” Protesters displayed a banner reading, “No child should fear attending school.”

Families reported that the trauma of the alleged abuse was exacerbated by institutions failing to act on early warnings. A mother’s initial report months prior had apparently been disregarded by school administrators.

Lawyer Rebecca Royer, representing multiple families, emphasized the case as an opportunity to push for systemic reforms. “We demand that governments enforce protections for children and invest in the necessary resources to prevent future incidents,” she said.

Earlier in 2026, authorities suspended 78 school and after-school staff members in Paris, 31 of whom faced allegations of sexual violence. The mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, elected in March, has prioritized eradicating abuse in educational settings and introduced a €20 million initiative targeting systemic failures in child supervision. He has pledged automatic suspension of employees under suspicion of abuse.

Grégoire’s commitment is personal, as he disclosed during his mayoral campaign that he was sexually abused as a child between ages nine and ten, years spent attending local elementary schools.

Rising public awareness of institutional failures has heightened media scrutiny on schools nationwide, particularly in Paris. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed ongoing investigations into approximately 84 nursery schools, 23 elementary schools, and ten childcare centers across the city.

AP journalists Nicolas Garriga and Masha Macpherson contributed to this report.

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