What made you want to make this documentary?
“I myself have suffered sexual violence in the field of athletics. And by talking about it on social networks I realized that I was far from being the only one. I made a call for witnesses on Instagram. I must have received 15-20 testimonials. I selected five because they all have a different level. We start from the girl who has made several selections for the France team and several medals to the girls who have a good national/regional level. I also selected them according to their attackers. We see that there is an athlete, a coach and a club president. It was to show that unfortunately, it can be everywhere in athletics. »
Were you shocked by the number of people?
“I was quite surprised by the number of girls who agreed to talk to me. It’s very revealing of the fact that there is a lot of violence in the world of sport and the fact that girls increasingly want to speak out to change a system that is far too violent, especially towards women. »
What was your objective in unveiling this documentary?
“The goal was to continue a job that other athletes have started. I’m thinking of Catherine Moyon de Baecque who spoke in 1991. And it’s sad to see that since her time, very little has changed. The desire was to make the girls who did not speak feel less alone. There is a problem which is much more global in athletics. »
Is her appointment to the CNOSF as an ambassador for the fight against sexual violence a step forward for you?
“Totally. I think it’s a decision that is very strong, both symbolically and in what it will be able to put in place. We are still faced with institutions that are run by the same people, therefore men who, for the most part, have not experienced this kind of violence. We also have more representation of the first concerned in the institutions and who will be able to put in place policies that resemble us, that are effective. »
“Leaders have the cards in hand”
In everything they told you, are there things you didn’t expect?
“I expected everything. Having learned a lot about the subject, it didn’t surprise me, but it’s always impactful when there are women who tell you straight in the eye what they’ve been through and how violent the aggressors can be. . It’s not so much their story that shocks me but the impression that nothing is changing. We know more and more but we don’t have the impression that it’s really taken seriously. »
Is there a whole section on INSEP with Sarah’s testimony that gives the impression that it’s systematic?
” That’s it. Even victims take time to realize and understand that what they are going through is not normal. These are a lot of sexist or sexist jokes. It’s so trivialized and humorous that we forget that it’s sexist, misogynistic and that it can also amount to sexual harassment. »
What is the role of leaders in these situations?
“They have a lot of cards in hand to change things. I think that there is a lot of feminization work to be done because in the governing institutions, whether at the level of the FFA or the INSEP, it is hyper masculine and not very racialized. There is a whole awareness to be made in relation to the inequalities between women and men, to what violence is, and to this sporting culture which can be hyper violent ”.
Five French athletes testify to the sexual violence they suffered
“La Suite” is a documentary directed by Emma Oudiou, a 27-year-old French athlete and specialist in the steeplechase, for which she was twice bronze medalist with the Espoirs in 2015 and 2017. The young woman was the victim of sexual assault by his trainer at the time, Pascal Machat, since targeted by other complaints and for which he was suspended for six months. His complaint has since been dismissed but his fight is not over.
She collected the testimonies of five athletes: Sarah Fofana-Koutouan, raped by an athlete from the French team during a party, Noémie Dinheiro Lenoir, Cassandre Tanguy and Elisa, all three attacked by their coach and Perrine, victim of sexual violence by the president of his athletics club.
Around an hour of discussion broadcast on YouTube, each tells what she has been the victim of and how she is learning to live with it today (the role of the entourage, therapy, the gaze of others, relationships sentimental and sexual since…).
And the entourage, in what way is it a force to get out of it?
“It’s quite glaring in the documentary, we have Cassandre who was traumatized but who totally manages to live with it. She did her work of resilience and we can see that she integrated what happened to her. Her family believed her right away. As soon as she doubts or feels guilty about what happened, they are there. And for other cases where the family is less present it is more difficult. We are in a patriarchal society which tends to make the victims feel guilty, so having your close circle who believes you is very important to tell yourself that the aggressor is the culprit. »
It’s true that Cassandre seems to have taken a lot of perspective on what happened…
“That’s what’s also super interesting. On three athletes who experience the same thing, they react in very different ways. It is also important to show the levers on which we can rely, and on which society can play so that the victims can get out of it. »
“Therapeutic support is essential”
She also says that she does not want her attacker to end up in prison, do you understand her?
“I understand in relation to the great debate: is prison a solution? I’m not sure, it’s more of a punishment than a solution. I understand that she doesn’t want him to be punished. After that could help isolate this person and ensure that he no longer attacks anyone. But I do think there is abuser support to be had. That of the victims is essential, but the aggressors, if they act in this way, it is because they have a big problem, so if we do not make sure to solve the problem at the root, I think that they will be to start again and to continue to be violent”.
The five athletes are all followed. Is this therapeutic support necessary?
“Cassandra didn’t have any therapeutic support, but it’s because her mother is in that environment. It is absolutely essential to be followed by professionals and by someone you trust. »
Noémie talks about the EMDR method, can you explain this practice?
“It’s a practice that came from the United States, then in France at the time of the Bataclan attacks because there had been a lot of trauma. It’s interesting to see that we “waited” for the Bataclan to learn how to treat trauma when women have experienced it for a long time. It is a method that makes sure to integrate the trauma so that it is only a memory and that it no longer has any incidence and impact on the present. »
“I wanted to allow girls to be proud to speak”
Was it a desire not to tell your story and to let others speak?
“When I talk about all that, I very quickly find myself isolated because it’s never an obvious word. I was a little tired of finding myself all alone all the time to approach these subjects there and I really wanted to allow the girls to speak to the general public, to be proud to speak. It was a real desire to show that these were not isolated cases and that it was really systemic. »
Did the filing of your complaint without further action strengthen you in your project?
“Of course because unfortunately even today to have a suitable response from justice, it is super complicated. We have a system that is still quite innovative. I think we have to find other solutions to be able to express ourselves. This documentary was very therapeutic for me and for the girls I interview. It was our way of moving forward and showing that we are resilient. »
Where are you today?
“I stopped high level sport about two years ago but I continue to run. I think I run in a much healthier way in the sense that there is no cult of performance. For the complaint, I work with lawyers and it seems to me that they had appealed. »
“It’s getting unbearable”
At the end of the documentary, you ask to imagine the rest. What’s yours ?
“In an ideal world, I imagine that the institutions take very very very seriously, as an emergency, what is happening in athletics, in sport and in society more generally. As Noémie says, it is perhaps the consequences that are the hardest to live with at the moment. We suffer from it for years. I hope they will put policies in place, whether it’s taking care of victims, educating supervisors, coaches, club presidents, raising awareness among the youngest from the very young. what violence is and what I have the right not to accept. »
You released the documentary a few days ago, what are the reactions?
“It’s super positive because I feel that it really took off. We have a lot of feedback so it’s very nice. But at the same time what is terrible is that with the girls we have more and more revelations of violence. On my account I have a lot of messages telling me “I suffered this”. It only confirms to us that we did well to make this documentary and that we have to move to change things because it is becoming unbearable. »