TENS of thousands of protesters have rallied in cities across France calling for stronger action against sexual violence, after widespread public outrage over the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in the southwestern town of Fleurance.
The child, identified as Lyhanna, was found dead last month after being reported missing on May 29.
Police said the suspect, a 41-year-old man and the father of one of the victim’s school friends, had previously been charged twice with rape involving children, although those investigations were either dropped or stalled.
AFP reported on Sunda that the case has triggered national anger and renewed calls for the resignation of Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who has refused to step down but issued an apology, describing the situation as a major failure of the system.
Organisers said around 100,000 people joined a march in Paris alone, describing it as a historic mobilisation against sexual violence, with simultaneous demonstrations held in about 110 cities including Dijon and Toulouse.
Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Women’s Foundation, said systemic underfunding of the justice system was contributing to repeated failures in protecting victims.
"We cannot have a justice system so underfunded that it ends up protecting perpetrators instead of victims.
"With 94 per cent of rape complaints being closed without further action, many offenders reported to the courts ultimately face no consequences," she said ahead of the protests.
A coalition of 180 organisations behind the demonstrations called for comprehensive legislative reform, arguing that piecemeal measures were insufficient to tackle sexual violence across prevention, prosecution and victim support.
President Emmanuel Macron said he was concerned that failures in investigating key suspects in the Lyhanna case could undermine public confidence in state institutions.
A 2022 government report also highlighted chronic shortages of staff and time as key factors limiting thorough investigations into child abuse allegations.
It found that in 70 per cent of cases, investigators failed to pursue digital evidence from mobile phones, cameras or computers after initial suspect interviews, often leaving critical lines of inquiry incomplete.
The nationwide protests have intensified pressure on the French government to overhaul how sexual violence cases are handled, particularly those involving children. - July 5, 2026
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