Women alleging rape and sexual assault in France call to abolish statute of limitations

Key Points:

• Over 50 women in France alleging sexual assault or rape, including by Jeffrey Epstein, Jean-Luc Brunel, and Mohammed Al Fayed, have formed a collective called Survivors' Voices to demand the abolition of the statute of limitations on such crimes.
• French law currently imposes a 20-year statute of limitations for adults and 30 years for minors to report sexual assault or rape, which Survivors' Voices argue prevents many from seeking justice due to delayed reporting.
• Former BBC producer Lisa Brinkworth, who alleges sexual assault while undercover investigating Elite Model Management, is taking her case to the European Court of Human Rights after French courts dismissed it citing the statute of limitations.
• Brinkworth claims the BBC hindered her ability to report the assault at the time and is refusing to provide vital evidence from raw footage, while also being legally restricted from discussing the documentary due to a settlement with Elite Models.
• The BBC stated it takes the matter seriously, denies trying to silence Brinkworth, and confirmed it has provided material to both French authorities and Brinkworth to assist with the investigation.