When Fear Remains: Survivors of Sexual Violence Fear Becoming Perpetrators Themselves

Paris – 12 July 2026: It is a fear that is difficult to voice and weighs all the more heavily for that reason. People who experienced sexual violence in childhood describe in a recent Franceinfo report their concern that they may one day violate boundaries themselves. The focus is not on a specific act, but on agonizing suspicion directed at oneself – and the question of whether what was experienced must determine the rest of one’s life.

Those affected report shame, self-doubt and damaged self-esteem. Some avoid closeness; others fundamentally question their future parenthood or relationships. Specialists in psychiatry and psychology describe this fear of repetition as particularly distressing. It can distort a person’s view of their own actions and prevent them from building trust in themselves and others.

The report also refers to findings by the independent CIIVISE commission, which since 2020 has collected testimonies from people who experienced incest or other sexual violence as children. The commission has repeatedly made clear that the consequences do not disappear when the immediate violence ends. They extend into health, relationships, education and work – and require reliable, long-term support.

According to the CIIVISE, an estimated 160,000 children in France become victims of sexual violence each year. The figure describes a social problem of far-reaching significance, behind which lie individual life stories. The commission stresses that protection must not consist solely of criminal prosecution: serious listening, safe points of contact and access to specialized psychotherapeutic help are also crucial.

The current article does not concern a single criminal trial and does not name any accused persons. Its occasion is the experience of adult survivors who are making their inner distress public. This perspective is precisely what shifts the focus: it is not the supposed dangerousness of victims that takes center stage, but the consequences of violence, silence and a lack of support.

In its recommendations, the CIIVISE calls for stronger prevention, better training for professionals and a coordinated support system for children as well as adults who survived violence in childhood. This also includes taking warning signs seriously and receiving children’s statements without suspicion. The commission sees this as a task for schools, medicine, the justice system, youth services and the social environment.

Anyone who fears they may harm a child, or knows of a risk to a child, can contact the police or gendarmerie in France by calling 17 in an acute emergency. The free number 119 is also available for children in danger and adults concerned about a child. Behind the fear now being publicly described, there is therefore also a clear message: seeking help is a step toward protection – for oneself and for others.