Latest news with #Amelie
New European
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New European
How to stop rape culture
There is one thing you may have missed, however. It doesn't seem like much on the surface: a mere 1,000 euro fine, which Depardieu must now pay to each of the defendants. It was barely mentioned in most stories about the trial. That was a mistake, given what that fine represented. You have almost certainly heard of the court case that made the headlines in France for several years, concerning actor Gerard Depardieu. You probably even know that, last week, he was found guilty of sexually harassing two women on the set of a movie, and given a suspended jail term of 18 months. Depardieu was, on top of everything else, found guilty of 'secondary victimisation', a relatively new legal concept. It first appeared in 2014, and was written into what became the Istanbul Convention, a Council of Europe treaty aiming to oppose violence against women. Behind it is the belief that survivors of sexual violence often get harmed twice; first by their abuser, then by a sexist, biased, needlessly aggressive justice system. Gisele Pelicot famously spoke of it last year, saying that she had been left feeling 'humiliated' by court proceedings, despite being the victim and not the perpetrator. Back at the Depardieu trial, the actor's barrister called his client's two victims 'hysterical', and told them, point blank, that 'we don't believe you'. 'I can understand that Amelie doesn't read [broadsheet] Le Monde as it's too complicated, but she could at least read [gossip magazine] Closer', he said of one of them. Speaking to the press later, Amelie called the trial 'torture', and 'even more violent than the assault itself'. Sadly, this sn't an isolated issue, or one confined to France. In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights intervened in the aftermath of a case in Italy, where a young woman was raped by seven men in a parking lot. In its judgement, the Florence Court of Appeal called the victim 'uninhibited, vulgar, lascivious', and mentioned her 'ambivalent attitude towards sex'. The ECHR found that the comments were 'guilt-inducing, moralising and conveyed sexist stereotypes', and recognised the case as one of 'secondary victimisation'. That both this case and Depardieu's were recognised for what they were is unalloyed good news, but ought to only be the beginning. In France, Italy, Britain and elsewhere, pundits keep wondering why survivors of sexual assault struggle to come forward. The answer, sadly, is often hiding in plain sight: it is unlikely that the perpetrator will be found guilty and, even if they are, the cost demanded of the victim for putting them behind bars is far too high. Suggested Reading Welcome home to Gilead Matthew d'Ancona The rate of PTSD for victims of sexual violence is higher than for soldiers who have spent time in warzones. We should, as a society, make sure that these survivors aren't being traumatised further when choosing to do the right thing, and try to make sure that an abuser will be taken off the streets. As things stand, however, misogyny still leaks through every pore of every justice system around the world. Any woman deemed not to be the perfect victim, pure as snow and without a single flaw, will be treated as inherently suspicious. It apparently doesn't matter that false accusations of rape are so rare they're practically non-existent: the assumption somehow always seems to be that the woman is, in some way, in the wrong. Of course, making more courts and barristers aware and afraid of the concept of secondary victimisation won't solve everything, but it does feel like one hell of a step in the right direction. It is also encouraging that it was mentioned in a court case as high-profile as Depardieu's, as it has given much of the French press a reason to discuss it. The more people know about it, the better. This is also why this column exists: rape culture will not be destroyed in one go, but must instead be dealt a thousand blows, one after the next. The British justice system doesn't currently recognise secondary victimisation, but the country did sign up to the Istanbul Convention in 2022. I can't offer much more than words, but justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has it in her power to spring into action. Let's hope she kept an eye on that Depardieu trial.
Daily Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
2025 Tour de France adds Montmartre suspense to final stage
AFP | Paris The 2025 Tour de France will make three circuits of the historic Paris district of Montmartre on its last stage in what organisers said yesterday would add a competitive finale to the world's greatest bike race. The new format of the final stage on July 27 is unlikely to decide who wins the 21-day race, but it adds a new edge to the traditional parade-like ending. The riders will race a total of 16.8km in Montmartre before the peloton heads to the Champs-Elysees where it will complete three circuits, instead of the previous eight, and end with a mass sprint in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe. Around half a million spectators gathered last year for the 2024 Paris Olympics road races, sparking a clamour for the Tour to include Montmartre in its route. The circuit climbs Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where much of the action in the hit 2001 movie 'Amelie' takes place, before the steep ascent to the domed Sacre Coeur Basilica. 'It was kind of now or never,' Paris' assistant mayor Pierre Rabadan told AFP. 'The goal wasn't to change the finish location, especially for the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Elysees, but to make the final stage more competitive and more popular.'
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
2025 Tour de France adds Montmartre to final stage
The Tour de France will make three circuits of the historic Paris district of Montmartre on its last stage this year in what organisers said Wednesday would add a competitive finale to the world's greatest bike race. The new format of the final stage on July 27 introduces an outside possibility that the leading contender could crash out, adding suspense to what had traditionally become a procession into the French capital. The riders will for the first time on a Tour de France race a total of 16.8km in Montmartre before the peloton heads to the Champs-Elysees where it will complete three circuits, instead of the previous eight. The change prolongs the suspense because a breakaway on the narrow, cobbled streets of Montmartre could tempt a few adventurous riders to join and force the big guns to follow them. Around half a million spectators lined the route when the road races at the 2024 Paris Olympics passed through Montmartre, sparking a clamour for the Tour to include the popular tourist spot in its final stage. The circuit will climb Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where much of the action in the hit 2001 movie "Amelie" takes place, before the steep ascent to the domed Sacre Coeur Basilica. "It was kind of now or never," Paris' assistant mayor Pierre Rabadan told AFP. "The goal wasn't to change the finish location, especially for the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Elysees, but to make the final stage more competitive and more popular." The Paris police originally told Tour organisers ASO they were opposed to allowing the race to pass through Montmartre because of security reasons. "The area is heavily populated and there are many cafe terraces and shops making it a tricky security dimension, involving a more substantial security system," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told AFP ahead of the announcement, explaining his original reluctance. The situation was only resolved after the intervention of President Emmanuel Macron, who was the "driving force" behind the decision, the French president's office told AFP. For the Tour de France, this change to the final stage represents a revolution in sporting terms.
Japan Today
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
2025 Tour de France adds Montmartre suspense to final stage
cycling By Jacques KLOPP The Tour de France will make three circuits of the historic Paris district of Montmartre on its last stage this year in what organizers said Wednesday would add a competitive finale to the world's greatest bike race. The new format of the final stage on July 27 introduces an outside possibility that the leading contender could crash out, adding suspense to what had traditionally become a procession into the French capital. The riders will for the first time on a Tour de France race a total of 16.8 km in Montmartre before the peloton heads to the Champs-Elysees where it will complete three circuits, instead of the previous eight. The change prolongs the suspense because a breakaway on the narrow, cobbled streets of Montmartre could tempt a few adventurous riders to join and force the big guns to follow them. Around half a million spectators lined the route when the road races at the 2024 Paris Olympics passed through Montmartre, sparking a clamor for the Tour to include the popular tourist spot in its final stage. The circuit will climb Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where much of the action in the hit 2001 movie "Amelie" takes place, before the steep ascent to the domed Sacre Coeur Basilica. "It was kind of now or never," Paris' assistant mayor Pierre Rabadan told AFP. "The goal wasn't to change the finish location, especially for the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Elysees, but to make the final stage more competitive and more popular." The Paris police originally told Tour organizers ASO they were opposed to allowing the race to pass through Montmartre because of security reasons. "The area is heavily populated and there are many cafe terraces and shops making it a tricky security dimension, involving a more substantial security system," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told AFP ahead of the announcement, explaining his original reluctance. The situation was only resolved after the intervention of President Emmanuel Macron, who was the "driving force" behind the decision, the French president's office told AFP. For the Tour de France, this change to the final stage represents a revolution in sporting terms. The designer of the route, former cyclist Thierry Gouvenou, said Wednesday the new format adds real tension and competitive edge. "We put all this together for the sporting interest. It's not just a parade or a tourist visit to Montmartre," Gouvenou said. "We're almost certain the riders will compete. But I don't really believe it will turn the Tour around. We shouldn't expect huge gaps. But it will energize the stage," Gouvenou added. The 2025 edition of the Tour de France marks the 50th anniversary of its first finale on the Champs-Elysees, traditionally considered Paris's most chic shopping road, in 1975. The 117th edition of the race itself begins on July 5 in the northern French city of Lille after three consecutive money-spinning foreign 'Grand Departs' in Copenhagen, Bilbao and Florence. The gruelling race covers 3,320km over the three weeks and will be contested by 184 riders this year. At the 2024 Olympics there were just 90 riders but after 20 days of racing the Tour peloton will likely be reduced to around 150 due to riders dropping out through sickness and injury. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Tour de France adds Montmartre suspense to final stage
The Tour de France will make three circuits of the historic Paris district of Montmartre on its last stage this year in what organisers said Wednesday would add a competitive finale to the world's greatest bike race. The new format of the final stage on July 27 introduces an outside possibility that the leading contender could crash out, adding suspense to what had traditionally become a procession into the French capital. Advertisement The riders will for the first time on a Tour de France race a total of 16.8km in Montmartre before the peloton heads to the Champs-Elysees where it will complete three circuits, instead of the previous eight. The change prolongs the suspense because a breakaway on the narrow, cobbled streets of Montmartre could tempt a few adventurous riders to join and force the big guns to follow them. Around half a million spectators lined the route when the road races at the 2024 Paris Olympics passed through Montmartre, sparking a clamour for the Tour to include the popular tourist spot in its final stage. The circuit will climb Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where much of the action in the hit 2001 movie "Amelie" takes place, before the steep ascent to the domed Sacre Coeur Basilica. Advertisement "It was kind of now or never," Paris' assistant mayor Pierre Rabadan told AFP. "The goal wasn't to change the finish location, especially for the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Elysees, but to make the final stage more competitive and more popular." The Paris police originally told Tour organisers ASO they were opposed to allowing the race to pass through Montmartre because of security reasons. "The area is heavily populated and there are many cafe terraces and shops making it a tricky security dimension, involving a more substantial security system," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told AFP ahead of the announcement, explaining his original reluctance. - A revolution - Advertisement The situation was only resolved after the intervention of President Emmanuel Macron, who was the "driving force" behind the decision, the French president's office told AFP. For the Tour de France, this change to the final stage represents a revolution in sporting terms. The designer of the route, former cyclist Thierry Gouvenou, said Wednesday the new format adds real tension and competitive edge. "We put all this together for the sporting interest. It's not just a parade or a tourist visit to Montmartre," Gouvenou said. "We're almost certain the riders will compete. But I don't really believe it will turn the Tour around. We shouldn't expect huge gaps. But it will energise the stage," Gouvenou added. Advertisement The 2025 edition of the Tour de France marks the 50th anniversary of its first finale on the Champs-Elysees, traditionally considered Paris's most chic shopping road, in 1975. The 117th edition of the race itself begins on July 5 in the northern French city of Lille after three consecutive money-spinning foreign 'Grand Departs' in Copenhagen, Bilbao and Florence. The gruelling race covers 3,320km over the three weeks and will be contested by 184 riders this year. At the 2024 Olympics there were just 90 riders but after 20 days of racing the Tour peloton will likely be reduced to around 150 due to riders dropping out through sickness and injury. dmc/gj
