A second woman has come forward accusing French Senator Joel Guerriau of drugging and assaulting her at his Paris home in May 2022. The 67-year-old senator is already facing charges for allegedly drugging centrist deputy Sandrine Josso’s drink in November 2023 with the intent to sexually assault her. Guerriau has denied both accusations, describing the incident with Josso as a “handling error” and strongly denying the new allegations.
The woman who recently came forward chose to remain anonymous, speaking with her face covered and voice altered on France 2 television. She described feeling “dizzy” before regaining consciousness in Guerriau’s bedroom, where she alleged the assault occurred. Although she has contacted the police, she has not yet filed a formal complaint. Guerriau’s lawyer dismissed the new allegations as “absurdities” aimed at damaging his client’s reputation.
Guerriau’s case has sparked controversy, particularly given the recent passage of a bill in the French Senate to include lack of consent in the country’s criminal definition of rape. This development comes on the heels of a high-profile case involving Frenchman Dominique Pelicot, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his wife and allowing scores of men to rape her.
