2023-11-15 18:37:22
Advocate cures of raw foods, juices or extreme fasts to cure all ailments, including the most serious illnesses. Organize such control over its victims that, like puppets, they break up with their loved ones, leave their jobs, “donate” all their savings. “We even have reports from gurus who recommend nourishing ourselves with light,” smiles, a little bitterly, Donatien Le Vaillant, at the head of the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Abuses, Miviludes, since the beginning of year.
The phenomenon is not new, but the pandemic has given it a boost. In 2021, 4,020 reports of sectarian abuses were recorded by Miviludes. This was 30% more than the previous year. And the figures for 2022 and 2023, which will appear in a few weeks, follow the same upward curve. To stem this resurgence, the Secretary of State for Citizenship, Sabrina Agresti-Roubache presented this Wednesday, in the Council of Ministers, a bill to fight against sectarian abuses.
“Move cursor”
Since 2001, “abuse of weakness linked to a state of psychological or physical subjection” has been punishable by three years of imprisonment and a fine of 375,000 euros. But with this bill, the government wants to “move the cursor”. “Today, we punish the consequences of this state of subjection, namely the abuse of weakness. These are mainly economic losses or violence. We hope that the simple fact of placing someone in a state of subjection is punishable,” explains those around the minister. In short: “Imagine if we punished the consequences of harassment but not the harassment itself, that would not make sense. Well, it’s the same thing,” explains Donatien Le Vaillant.
The objective of this new offense – punishable, like abuse of weakness, by three years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros – is to make it possible to better understand the damage suffered by these victims. Because the simple fact of being placed in a state of subjugation causes psychological or physical after-effects. “These are people who are going to be rendered incapable of the slightest autonomous decision. They find themselves dispossessed of their choices, even the most intimate: deciding about their spouse, their work, the way they manage their money…” continues the head of Miviludes. Many victims are subject, sometimes for years, to depressive or post-traumatic syndromes. For some, the consequences are also social – a family or professional breakdown – or physical after, for example, food deprivation or treatment interruption.
A specific health offense
The ministry is assured that there is no “limitation” in this offense. Theoretically, it could even apply within the couple. In reality, this scenario seems unlikely: many crimes, more heavily punished and often easier to prove, already exist. Because this is one of the difficulties of this crime: it is not easy to prove. Psychological expertise is necessary to prove the extent of the manipulation and its consequences.
“The state of knowledge has evolved; we know better the mechanisms behind this subjection, and this bill aims to address these new issues,” insist those around the minister. In recent years, the field of health – particularly everything relating to so-called “alternative” medicine – has become a real issue in the fight against sectarian abuses. In 2021, a quarter of the reports received by Miviludes were health-related. Hence the idea of creating a specific offense. “Provocation to the abandonment or abstention of care or to the adoption of practices which it is clear that they expose the person to a serious or immediate risk for their health” will be punished by one year of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.
Strengthen the arsenal
If this new offense is underpinned by this same notion of control, it avoids having to prove it. “In some cases, unfortunately, things can go very quickly,” continues the head of Miviludes. I am thinking, for example, of terminally ill patients who, in a state of despair, will trust a crook and stop seeking treatment. »
In these cases, there will be no need to prove subjection, the direct responsibility of the pseudo-healer will be engaged. “These new offenses are in addition to those that already exist,” the ministry said. It’s really about strengthening the arsenal to deal with new abuses. »
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