French minister denies rape allegations, saying his injury makes it physically impossible

A newly appointed minister in Emmanuel Macron’s government has denied raping two women, insisting his disability makes him incapable of sexually abusing anyone.

Damien Abad, the newly appointed Minister of Solidarity and Disability, is accused of raping a woman in 2010 and another in 2011.

One of the women filed a complaint with the police against Mr Abad in 2017, which was closed without further action, Mr Abad said.

“I strongly challenge these allegations of sexual violence,” he said in a statement.

“The sexual relationships I’ve had all my life have always been by mutual consent.”

Mr Abad said his disability, a condition called arthrogryposis that affected all four limbs, made it physically impossible to undress or carry.

Prosecutors do not know each other according to MediaPart, which shattered the story. One woman said she went to dinner with Mr Abad in October 2010 after he persecuted her. She said she drank a glass of champagne and woke up in a hotel room in lingerie with Mr Abad. She said she did not remember how she got there.

The investigation has stopped

The woman said she had tried to confront Mr Abad in recent weeks about the incident, but received no response.

Mr Abad’s other prosecutor told Mediapart that he had been driving her to a meeting for many years, until she finally agreed to spend an evening with him in January 2011. After he insisted she drink champagne, she told Mediapart that she agreed to have sex until she wanted to stop it, which she claims he did not.

The woman spoke informally with police in 2012 and filed a rape complaint in 2017. The investigation was terminated after police said there was not enough evidence.

Mr Abad was appointed to Macron’s cabinet on Friday following the re-election of the French president.

Asked to comment on the accusations against Abad, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne said she did not know about them when he joined the government.

“I will be very clear: on all these topics of harassment, sexual violence, there can be no impunity and we must continue to act so that women who may be victims of assault and harassment can speak freely,” she said. .

Ms Bourne said her government would bear the consequences of Abad’s appointment “if there are new elements and a new case is opened”.