A five-year-old boy is now in the care of his mother following allegations his father facilitated sexual abuse by putting him in contact with adult males at drug-fuelled gatherings in northern France.
Prosecutors in Lille have charged ten men aged 29 to 50 following an investigation that began on 15 February 2025, the day after a reported chemsex party in the city. The child’s parents had separated prior to the alleged abuse, with the boy now living with his mother, the prosecutor’s office confirmed on Tuesday.
Authorities referred the case to an investigating judge for acts allegedly committed between November 2024 and 14 February 2025. The charges include rape and sexual assault involving administering substances to the victim without their knowledge to impair judgement or control actions.
The prosecutor’s office stated the child suffered “acts of sexual violence aggravated by the use of chemical substances” after being allegedly “put in contact with adult males by his own father”.
One of the main suspects died by suicide whilst held in pretrial detention in June last year, though the prosecutor’s office did not provide further details about his identity. The ten men were charged at an unspecified date following the investigation.
Local newspaper Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace reported that at least one defendant was not accused of direct participation but of receiving video material and failing to report it to authorities.
The case emerges amid mounting concerns about chemsex – using powerful drugs during sexual encounters – which has spread through parts of Europe’s gay community. Medical professionals and campaigners have highlighted dangers including addiction, overdose and HIV infection, stating the number of victims appears to be rising.
France continues grappling with the aftermath of the Gisele Pelicot mass rape case, which saw a 72-year-old woman endure nearly a decade of sexual assault by dozens of men whilst drugged by her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot.
Pelicot returned to court in Nimes in October to face one of her rapists during his conviction appeal. She revealed undergoing cervical biopsy for possibly cancerous cells potentially linked to sexually transmitted infections contracted during years of assault.
Testing in 2020 shortly after Dominique Pelicot’s arrest showed she had contracted four sexually transmitted infections, as assailants were not required to wear protection. Her ex-husband had rendered her unconscious by lacing food and drink before offering her to strangers recruited online.
Most cervical cancer cases result from human papillomavirus, which spreads through sexual contact.
The ten men charged in the Lille case remain subject to judicial proceedings, with the examining magistrate determining whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. French authorities have not disclosed the current detention status of the remaining nine suspects or provided a timeline for potential court proceedings.
