French Judge Releases Gang-Rape Suspects, Leaving 12-Year-Old Victim at Risk
A 12-year-old French girl collapsed after a judge released two men accused of gang-raping her without restrictions, exposing systemic failures in how France handles child sexual violence cases.
A 12-year-old girl collapsed in her lawyer's office after learning a judge released two men accused of gang-raping her. She required hospitalization. The decision reveals a justice system that consistently elevates suspects' rights above a child's basic safety.
Lawyer David Metaxas delivered the news, and the victim fell into total shock. "She couldn't utter a single word in my office," Metaxas told LyonMag. The attack unfolded April 21 in Décines-Charpieu, east of Lyon, where the girl woke bleeding on an Airbnb bed after being forced to drink until she passed out.
Metaxas described the child as having been "deflowered, anally and orally penetrated, and who had wounds all over her body." A 16-year-old girl connected with two men through Snapchat and brought the victim to the rental property. The men, aged 20 and 21, allegedly forced her to consume vodka mixed with energy drinks until she lost consciousness.
The judge overseeing liberty and detention matters released both suspects without judicial supervision, restraining orders, or contact restrictions. French prosecutors opened a case for "rape of a minor under 15," yet the men remain at liberty while the investigation continues. "They can, if they wish, contact and visit the young girl whenever they want," Metaxas stated.
The failures started before the courtroom. Police allegedly offered no basic assistance when the traumatized child reached the Villeurbanne station. "It is unacceptable that the form to file a complaint was not given to them by the police," Metaxas said. Family members described being treated as a nuisance, compelling the mother to complete the paperwork herself for her visibly injured daughter.
During questioning, the 12-year-old confronted allegations from the suspects and the 16-year-old that she was "consenting" and "provoking." France set the minimum age of consent at 15 in April 2021. Any sexual act with a child under that age is legally classified as rape, regardless of consent claims.
"The lack of coercive measures concerning the suspects is incomprehensible," Metaxas argued. This case mirrors a broader pattern documented by France's Institut des Politiques Publiques, which found prosecutors dismissed 94 percent of rape cases, up from 86 percent in 2016.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled against France one year ago for violating the rights of three minors who reported rape. The April 25, 2025 decision found French authorities failed to protect children aged 13, 14 and 16, subjecting one to "guilt-inducing and moralizing remarks" that constituted gender-based discrimination.
Metaxas announced he would file a complaint with the public prosecutor demanding specialized oversight. "I demand that a specialized service be put in charge of the investigation with the implementation of coercive measures to ensure the safety of this minor," he said.
France's judicial system now faces scrutiny for what victims' advocates describe as institutionalized leniency toward sexual violence. France dismisses 86 percent of all sexual violence cases nationally, underscoring how the Décines case illustrates systemic judicial failure rather than isolated error.