French Director Christophe Ruggia Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Actress Adèle Haenel
A French court has found filmmaker Christophe Ruggia guilty of sexually assaulting actress Adèle Haenel when she was between 12 and 15 years old in the early 2000s.
Ruggia, 60, was sentenced on Monday to two years under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, along with a two-year suspended sentence. The ruling marks a significant moment in France’s #MeToo movement, as Haenel was one of the first major French actors to speak out against sexual abuse in the film industry.
The court determined that Ruggia abused his position of power over the young actress, citing his frequent, inappropriate behaviour toward her during their near-weekly meetings over a span of three years. It also noted that Haenel was gradually isolated from her loved ones.
Haenel, 35, publicly accused Ruggia in 2019, alleging that he had repeatedly touched her inappropriately during and after the filming of the 2002 movie Les Diables (The Devils). Since then, she has been a vocal critic of the industry’s handling of sexual misconduct.
As the verdict was read, Haenel appeared visibly relieved, taking deep breaths before leaving the courtroom to applause from women’s rights activists.
Ruggia has denied all allegations.
