French Prosecutors: 15-Year-Old Forced Into Prostitution for Four Months, Investigators Estimate Nearly 900 Clients; Two Suspects Charged
Southeastern France — French media reported on November 3, citing prosecutors and the gendarmerie, that a 15-year-old girl was forced into prostitution between February and May of this year across communes in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes departments, with investigators estimating nearly 900 clients and about €63,000 in takings. Two suspects have been charged with aggravated pimping of a minor and human trafficking of a minor.
According to the Draguignan public prosecutor's office and the gendarmerie investigation, the girl's mother reported her missing in May, fearing she was being held in Marseille; Marseille's anti-pimping brigade found her a few days later. Investigators say the suspects advertised online, rented hotel rooms and apartments in Puget-sur-Argens, Draguignan, Nice, Cannes and Toulon, imposed a daily money target on the girl, took all of the money and kept her under close surveillance. The case was investigated by the Draguignan gendarmerie research brigade.
One suspect is an adult man and the other is a minor. Both were arrested on October 13 by the Draguignan gendarmerie surveillance and intervention platoon, held in custody, and brought before the Draguignan public prosecutor on October 15, after which they were placed under formal judicial investigation. The adult was remanded in custody and is scheduled to stand trial on December 11; the minor was placed under judicial supervision and will appear before the Draguignan juvenile court.
Prosecutors stress that the figures of nearly 900 clients and about €63,000 are investigators' estimates, not facts established by a court, and that both suspects are presumed innocent unless and until a court rules otherwise.
Source: Draguignan Public Prosecutor's Office
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：法国东南部城市 Nice 海湾，案件发生地包括 Nice 在内的瓦尔省与滨海阿尔卑斯省多地。照片：Tab59，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The bay of Nice in southeastern France; the case spans communes in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes, including Nice. Photo by Tab59, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
