‘Massive’ child abuse scandal in France as school staff investigated for violence and sexual assault

France is facing a child abuse scandal as ‘monitors’ at dozens of state nursery and primary schools are investigated for violence, sexual assault and rape. Paris police are examining more than 100 allegations of mistreatment, physical violence and rape of children as young as three by school monitors during lunch breaks, nap times and after-school activities, prosecutors have confirmed. “We have investigations under way in 84 preschools, about 20 primary schools and about 10 daycare centres,” said Paris’s top prosecutor, Laure Beccuau. Lawyers said the investigations included the alleged rape of children as young as three and four years old. Parents’ groups said they had fought for years for allegations to be taken seriously. They said failures in the recruitment process and checking of school monitors had allowed abuse to continue. Co-founder of the #MeTooEcole collective, Barka Zerouali, centre, speaking at a press briefing in front of Paris city hall. Photograph: Amaury Cornu/Hans Lucas/AFP/ “It’s a massive scandal,” said Florian Lastelle, a lawyer for three Paris families who have filed police complaints over the alleged abuse of their children. …