{{Short description|Sexual abuse scandal}} The '''Duhamel scandal''' was a 2021 scandal involving a leading Parisian social and political sciences university, Sciences Po.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2021 |title=Pourquoi l'affaire Duhamel plonge-t-elle Sciences Po dans la tourmente ? |trans-title=Why is the Duhamel affair plunging Sciences Po into turmoil? |url=https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-question-du-jour/pourquoi-laffaire-duhamel-plonge-sciences-po-dans-la-tourmente |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410063104/https://radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/la-question-du-jour/pourquoi-l-affaire-duhamel-plonge-t-elle-sciences-po-dans-la-tourmente-9886758 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |access-date=7 March 2021 |website=France Culture |language=fr}}</ref><ref name="france24.com">{{Cite news |last=El-Faizy |first=Monique |date=2021-02-17 |title=After a sluggish start, #MeToo movements pick up steam in France |url=https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210217-after-a-sluggish-start-metoo-movements-pick-up-steam-france |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323020424/https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210217-after-a-sluggish-start-metoo-movements-pick-up-steam-france |archive-date=23 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2021 |work=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> The scandal originated from accusations in a book written by Camille Kouchner, {{lang|es|La Familia Grande}}. In that book, Kouchner, daughter of former minister Bernard Kouchner, accused Olivier Duhamel, her step-father, of sexually abusing her twin brother Antoine.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chemin |first=Ariane |date=4 January 2021 |title=Olivier Duhamel, l'inceste et les enfants du silence |trans-title=Olivier Duhamel, incest, and the children of silence |language=fr |newspaper=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2021/01/04/olivier-duhamel-l-inceste-et-les-enfants-du-silence_6065166_3224.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230915162517/https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2021/01/04/olivier-duhamel-l-inceste-et-les-enfants-du-silence_6065166_3224.html |archive-date=15 September 2023}}</ref> The resulting outrage resulted in multiple resignations from the school and in Duhamel's confession.<ref name=":0"/> The public questioned Sciences Po's handling of the alleged activity, but the school was ultimately exonerated.
== History and scandal == Olivier Duhamel, a revered professor and politician, was also president of the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP) which oversees and finances Sciences Po.<ref name="LM-2021-01-08">{{Cite news |last=Bacqué |first=Raphaël |date=8 January 2021 |title=Sciences Po, cœur du pouvoir d'Olivier Duhamel |language=fr |trans-title=Sciences Po, the heart of Olivier Duhamel's power |newspaper=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2021/01/08/sciences-po-c-ur-du-pouvoir-d-olivier-duhamel-ebranle-par-sa-chute_6065551_3224.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231129101533/https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2021/01/08/sciences-po-c-ur-du-pouvoir-d-olivier-duhamel-ebranle-par-sa-chute_6065551_3224.html |archive-date=29 November 2023}}</ref> After the sexual abuse allegations Duhamel resigned from his job at the FNSP, as host of a popular radio programme on Europe 1, and deleted his Twitter account.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Willsher |first=Kim |date=5 January 2021 |title=High-profile French political scientist accused of sexually abusing stepson |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/french-political-scientist-olivier-duhamel-accused-of-sexually-abusing-stepson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231129101917/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/french-political-scientist-olivier-duhamel-accused-of-sexually-abusing-stepson |archive-date=29 November 2023 |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref name="rfi-20210105">{{Cite news |date=5 January 2021 |title=French intellectual under investigation, accused of raping underage stepson |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20210105-french-intellectual-olivier-duhamel-resigns-over-accusations-of-raping-his-stepson-in-new-book |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231129102540/https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20210105-french-intellectual-olivier-duhamel-resigns-over-accusations-of-raping-his-stepson-in-new-book |archive-date=29 November 2023 |access-date=10 January 2021 |work=Radio France Internationale |language=en}}</ref>
In her book, Camille Kouchner explains that dozens of her mother's intellectual friends knew about the abuse but chose to keep quiet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=14 April 2021 |title=French intellectual Olivier Duhamel confesses to sexually abusing stepson |url=https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210414-french-intellectual-olivier-duhamel-confesses-to-sexually-abusing-stepson |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230120141159/https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210414-french-intellectual-olivier-duhamel-confesses-to-sexually-abusing-stepson |archive-date=20 January 2023 |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> French news magazine ''L'Obs'' reported that Duhamel also organized events with the French intelligentsia involving adults and children partaking in sexual acts and alcohol consumption.<ref name="nouvelobs.com">{{Cite web |last=Le Bailley |first=David |last2=Le Drollec |first2=Alexandre |date=13 January 2021 |title=" Il était sa propre planète et on gravitait autour " : quand Olivier Duhamel régnait sur Sanary |language=fr |trans-title="He was his own planet and we revolved around him": when Olivier Duhamel reigned over Sanary |url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/societe/20210113.OBS38777/il-etait-sa-propre-planete-et-on-gravitait-autour-quand-olivier-duhamel-regnait-sur-sanary.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231129103605/https://www.nouvelobs.com/societe/20210113.OBS38777/il-etait-sa-propre-planete-et-on-gravitait-autour-quand-olivier-duhamel-regnait-sur-sanary.html |archive-date=29 November 2023 |website=L'Obs}}</ref> In {{lang|es|La Familia Grande}}, Kouchner depicts the environment in which such events took place, and how the intelligentsia justified them intellectually. Nudity among children and adults was encouraged. Duhamel took photos of children and adults and hung them in large format on the walls.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Giulani |first=Morgane |date=1 June 2023 |title="La familia grande", l'inceste comme mécanisme de domination |trans-title="La familia grande": Incest as a mechanism of domination |language=fr |url=https://www.marieclaire.fr/la-familia-grande-camille-kouchner-inceste-olivier-duhamel-critique,1369063.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230815081838/https://www.marieclaire.fr/la-familia-grande-camille-kouchner-inceste-olivier-duhamel-critique,1369063.asp |archive-date=15 August 2023 |access-date=30 November 2023 |website=Marie Claire}}</ref><ref>[https://www.hommesdinfluence.com/livres-films-seduction/31566_duhamel-kouchner-familia-grande.html Les meilleurs extraits de La familia grande]</ref> According to a witness who talked to ''L'Obs'' but whose identity has not been revealed, children were told about sex and then asked to mime sexual acts in front of their parents. Twelve-year-old girls were dressed in provocative clothes and makeup, and sent to dance with 40-year-old men. Older children were asked to tell the audience about their first sexual experiences. Young boys were "offered" to older women.<ref name="nouvelobs.com" /> All of these acts were "brushed aside and silenced based on 1970s hedonism and complex parents-children relations."<ref name="courrierinternational.com">{{Cite news |date=13 January 2021 |title=Vu de Suisse. L'affaire Kouchner/Duhamel, une "grenade dégoupillée lancée sur Sciences Po" |trans-title=View from Switzerland. The Kouchner/Duhamel affair, a "live grenade thrown at Sciences Po" |language=fr |work=Courrier international |url=https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/vu-de-suisse-laffaire-kouchnerduhamel-une-grenade-degoupillee-lancee-sur-sciences-po |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231130090436/https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/vu-de-suisse-laffaire-kouchnerduhamel-une-grenade-degoupillee-lancee-sur-sciences-po |archive-date=30 November 2023}}</ref>
The abuse of Camille's brother allegedly started in 1989 when he was fourteen years old. He confided in his sister Camille but swore her to secrecy. By 2008, as a 33 year old father, he refused to allow his children to spend holidays with his mother, Évelyne Pisier and Duhamel. He revealed the sexual abuse to his mother when she questioned this, and then later to his aunt Marie-France Pisier. Évelyne, a professor at Sciences Po, allegedly believed the story but sided with her husband. Marie-France Pisier, on the other hand, took great offence at the abuse and her sister's inaction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 May 2021 |title=VIDEO. Affaire Duhamel : quand un secret tu pendant vingt ans a fait se déchirer une famille |trans-title=VIDEO. The Duhamel affair: when a secret kept for twenty years tore a family apart |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/harcelement-sexuel/affaire-olivier-duhamel/video-affaire-duhamel-quand-un-secret-tu-pendant-vingt-ans-a-fait-se-dechirer-une-famille_4638795.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231130094851/https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/harcelement-sexuel/affaire-olivier-duhamel/video-affaire-duhamel-quand-un-secret-tu-pendant-vingt-ans-a-fait-se-dechirer-une-famille_4638795.html |archive-date=30 November 2023 |access-date=9 March 2022 |website=Franceinfo |language=fr-FR}}</ref> In 2011, Marie-France Pisier was found dead in her swimming pool. The death was ruled a suicide, and a link to the above-mentioned scandal was found to be unclear.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boutry |first=Timothee |last2=Gautronneau |first2=Vincent |date=5 January 2021 |title=Affaire Olivier Duhamel : une enquête avait été ouverte après le suicide de Marie-France Pisier |trans-title=Olivier Duhamel affair: an investigation had been opened after the suicide of Marie-France Pisier |language=fr |work=Le Parisien |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/affaire-olivier-duhamel-une-enquete-avait-ete-ouverte-apres-le-suicide-de-marie-france-pisier-05-01-2021-8417481.php |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231130095531/https://www.leparisien.fr/amp/faits-divers/affaire-olivier-duhamel-une-enquete-avait-ete-ouverte-apres-le-suicide-de-marie-france-pisier-05-01-2021-8417481.php |archive-date=30 November 2023}}</ref> Évelyne Pisier died in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 February 2017 |title=Mort d'Evelyne Pisier, figure intellectuelle de gauche |trans-title=Death of Evelyne Pisier, a prominent left-wing intellectual |language=fr |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2017/02/11/mort-d-evelyne-pisier-figure-intellectuelle-de-gauche_5078332_3382.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231130101036/https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2017/02/11/mort-d-evelyne-pisier-figure-intellectuelle-de-gauche_5078332_3382.html |archive-date=30 November 2023}}</ref>
Bernard Kouchner learned about the abuse in the 2010s and wanted to physically assault Duhamel, but Camille prevented him. Bernard went on to applaud his children's courage and honesty.<ref name="Libé-2021-01-04">{{Cite news |last=Auffray |first=Alain |last2=Faure |first2=Sonya |last3=Alemagna |first3=Lilian |date=4 January 2021 |title=Le politologue Olivier Duhamel accusé d'inceste par ses beaux-enfants |language=fr |trans-title=Political scientist Olivier Duhamel accused of incest by his stepchildren |work=Libération |url=https://www.liberation.fr/france/2021/01/04/le-politologue-olivier-duhamel-accuse-d-inceste_1810330/ |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231130102629/https://www.liberation.fr/france/2021/01/04/le-politologue-olivier-duhamel-accuse-d-inceste_1810330/ |archive-date=30 November 2023}}</ref><ref name="rfi-20210105" />
== Aftermath == {{further|Sciences Po#Duhamel scandal}} The scandal was compared to a "bomb" launched on Sciences Po<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/l-onde-de-choc-de-l-affaire-duhamel-20210105|title=L'onde de choc de l'affaire Duhamel|newspaper=Le Figaro}}</ref> and to an "unpinned grenade thrown at Sciences Po".<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Werly |first=Richard |date=12 January 2021 |title=A Sciences Po, le scandale mine la fabrique de l'élite |language=fr |trans-title=At Sciences Po, the scandal undermines the very process of elite formation. |newspaper=Le Temps |url=https://www.letemps.ch/monde/sciences-po-scandale-fabrique-lelite |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230921043610/https://www.letemps.ch/monde/europe/sciences-po-scandale-fabrique-lelite |archive-date=21 September 2023}}</ref> Olivier Duhamel, director of the National Foundation of Sciences Po, Frédéric Mion, director of Sciences Po, and other members of the board of these institutions resigned. It led to other scandals and a succession crisis. The hashtag #SciencesPorcs was also created. While the book and media coverage questioned Sciences Po's responsibility in covering up sexual abuse and paedophilia, the school was exonerated of the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mallet |first=Victor |date=10 February 2021 |title=Sciences Po director resigns as child abuse scandal rocks Paris establishment |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f7aa4ba0-1ff1-420f-b912-0e1bf433142e |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210210184516/https://www.ft.com/content/f7aa4ba0-1ff1-420f-b912-0e1bf433142e |archive-date=10 February 2021}}</ref>
Camille Kouchner's book sparked a wave of reactions on Twitter under the hashtag #MetooIncest and #MeTooGay.<ref name="france24.com"/><ref name=":0" /> An investigation concerning Duhamel was opened by Paris prosecutors in January 2021 about "rape and sexual aggression against a minor".<ref name="rfi-20210105" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=5 January 2021 |title=Olivier Duhamel: French political scientist faces inquiry over sex abuse claims |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55544499 |access-date=10 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251003133114/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55544499 |archive-date=3 October 2025}}</ref> The scandal broke a national taboo on the abuse of minors and accelerated the advent of new child protection laws.<ref name=":0" />
In April 2021, Duhamel confessed to sexually abusing his stepson.<ref name=":0" /> On June 14, 2021, French police announced they would drop the investigation into charges of sexual aggression against and rape of a minor because the statute of limitations had expired. They said that, had this not been the case, the facts revealed in their investigation would have led to a prosecution.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Méheut |first=Constant |date=14 June 2021 |title=France Drops Rape Investigation of Prominent Intellectual |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/world/europe/olivier-duhamel-france.html |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210615134351/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/world/europe/olivier-duhamel-france.html |archive-date=15 June 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:2021 in Paris Category:Sciences Po Category:Political sex scandals in France Category:Child sexual abuse cover-ups Category:Child sexual abuse in France Category:Political history of France Category:2021 scandals Category:Incestual abuse Category:Incidents of violence against boys Category:Academic sex scandals
fr:Olivier Duhamel#Accusations d'inceste, de viol et d'agressions sexuelles