Former Senior Official at French Ministry of Culture
Long Walking Interviews After Drugging Coffee and Tea
Requests to Use Restroom Denied... "Desire to Control Women's Bodies"
It has been revealed that a high-ranking French government official made about 200 female job applicants drink beverages mixed with diuretics during recruitment interviews and recorded their reactions.
According to reports by The Guardian and the Daily Mail on November 26 (local time), Christian Negre, a former high-ranking official at the French Ministry of Culture, is under investigation for providing coffee or tea mixed with diuretics to approximately 240 female job applicants who came for interviews between 2011 and 2019. He would then conduct long "walking interviews" with the applicants at the time when the effects of the drugs were expected to set in. The drug he used is known to cause a sudden and intense urge to urinate.
A 'Experiment' Repeated from 2011 to 2019... Exposed After Seven Years by a Colleague's Report
Negre's actions came to light in 2018 when one of his colleagues reported to the police that Negre had attempted to secretly film an employee's legs. During the subsequent investigation, police discovered a document titled "Experiment" on his computer, which contained detailed records of the female applicants' interview dates, the amount of drugs administered, and their reactions to the drugs.
A former high-ranking French government official was found to have offered drinks mixed with diuretics to about 200 female job applicants during interviews. The photo is an image to aid understanding of the article and is unrelated to the content. Photo by Clipart Korea
The victims reported experiencing trembling, dizziness, and extreme shame. Some testified that they were unable to hold their urine in public places or had accidents on their clothes. One of the victims, Sylvie Delezen, said that in 2015, when she was 35, she attended an interview at the Ministry of Culture in Paris and accepted a coffee from Negre out of politeness. Negre suggested they conduct the interview while walking outside, saying the weather was nice, and Delezen answered his questions for several hours outdoors.
Delezen recounted, "I increasingly felt the urge to urinate. My hands were shaking, my heart was pounding, sweat was forming on my forehead, and my face was turning red." She added, "I told him I needed to take a break, but he insisted on continuing to walk."
"I Had to Squat and Urinate by a Tunnel, Stopped Job Hunting Due to Trauma"
Unable to endure any longer, Delezen had to squat and urinate next to a tunnel. Negre approached her, took off his jacket, and said, "I'll cover you." Feeling something was wrong, Delezen hurried home and drank several liters of water.
For several years afterward, Delezen blamed herself for what had happened and even stopped looking for jobs. Four years later, in 2019, she was contacted by the police because her personal information was found in Negre's "experiment" document. Delezen was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A former high-ranking French civil servant was found to have offered drinks mixed with diuretics to about 200 female job applicants during recruitment interviews. The photo is an image to aid understanding of the article and is unrelated to the content. Photo by Getty Images Bank
Anais De Boss also learned of her victimization after being contacted by the police. In 2011, when she went to the Ministry of Culture for an interview, Negre offered her coffee and suggested they walk outside during the interview.
Later, De Boss told Negre she wanted to return because she needed to use the restroom. De Boss said, "Negre looked me in the eyes and asked, 'Do you want to urinate?' It was as if an adult was speaking to a child. A warning light went off in my head that something was wrong." De Boss eventually used the restroom at a nearby cafe, but said she "felt extremely ill and almost fainted" on the train ride home.
A third female victim also claimed, "During a two-hour walking interview, I repeatedly requested to use the restroom but was denied each time and nearly passed out."
"A Crime of Power Intended to Subjugate Women"
The victims' attorney criticized Negre's drugging as "apparently a sexual fantasy on the surface, but in reality, a crime of power intended to subjugate women's bodies and dominate them through humiliation and control."
Negre was dismissed from public office in 2019 because of the incident, but was able to continue working in the private sector while the case was delayed. Another attorney pointed out, "The six-year delay in the trial amounted to a 'secondary assault' on the victims and further worsened their trauma."
Many victims expressed anger and exhaustion over the long wait for justice. Delezen, who was diagnosed with PTSD, said, "For years I blamed myself and ended up avoiding job applications altogether. I hope that something like this never happens to anyone again."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
