90s French Heartthrob Patrick Bruel Accused of Sexual Assault by Over 20 Women

(Central News Agency, Paris, 10th Combined Foreign Reports) Patrick Bruel, a leading figure in French show business, was accused on the 10th of rape and sexual assault, with over 20 women coming forward. Some of the accusations date back to the 1990s.

Bruel, 67, denies any wrongdoing.

According to combined reports from AFP and BBC News, Bruel was born in Algeria in 1959 and rose to fame in the early 1980s with the song "Marre de cette nana-là." His husky voice and deep, melancholic looks captivated many fans in the early 1990s, making him a regular on the covers of teen magazines. He sparked a phenomenon known as "Bruelmania."

In addition to releasing several hit albums, he has acted in over 30 films and has recently been involved in theatrical stage performances in Paris. He is a significant figure in French popular culture.

Bruel is now the latest French celebrity to face investigation as part of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment. Other notable figures include French actor Gérard Depardieu (77), known worldwide for the film "Cyrano de Bergerac," who was sentenced to 18 months of probation for sexually assaulting two women and is currently appealing.

Bruel was detained by police for 48 hours on the 8th of this month but has since been released on bail pending trial and is under judicial supervision.

A judge in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, stated that Bruel has been indicted on charges of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

The Nanterre prosecutor's office previously stated that these charges involve nine victims, with the incidents occurring between 2010 and 2019.

The prosecution also said that 13 other individuals accused him of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment between 1992 and 2008, and these complaints have been included in the case file sent to the investigating judge, even though "these cases currently appear to be beyond the statute of limitations."

Last month, Bruel posted on Instagram asserting his innocence, stating he had "never forced any woman." His lawyer issued a statement on the 8th of this month saying that he would answer questions in the future and provide all necessary evidence to prove Bruel's innocence.

One of the accusers is French television host Flavie Flament. Last month, she accused Bruel of raping her in 1991 when she was a minor.

She recently criticized the slow judicial process in an interview with AFP, saying, "It took three weeks after my complaint was exposed in the media for Patrick Bruel to be taken into police custody."

She added, "What is truly infuriating is that other women before me had tried for months, even years, to make their voices heard, but it wasn't until my complaint gained media attention that things started to move." (Editor: Cai Jiamin) 1150611