It was the news that shook the conscience of the French months before the case of Gisèle Pelicot: Senator Joël Guerriau, who allegedly drugged deputy Sandrine Josso with ecstasy in an attempt to sexually abuse her. The events took place in November 2023, but the moment of truth has arrived for the protagonists of the trial that has brought to light the unexpected extent of chemical submission.
Sandrine Josso has indeed become a spokesperson for the invisible victims of this increasingly widespread crime (at least 727 reported cases in a year), with her notable interventions in the National Assembly and collaboration with Gisèle Pelicot's daughter, Caroline Darian, through the association Mendors pas (Don't put me to sleep).
"I thought these things happened at night, in nightclubs and bars, but this has been a mistaken idea for a long time," warned Sandrine Josso herself. "In the end, when analyzing reports of drug-facilitated sexual assault victims, it turns out that in 80% of cases, the perpetrator is someone known. A family member, like in the case of Gisèle Pelicot, a victim of her own husband. Or, as in my case, someone from my own circle of friends."
Sandrine Josso (50 years old) and Joël Guerriau (68) had known each other for just over a decade. They were friends and political allies, with roots in the Loira Atlántico department. He was a heavyweight in the Senate, father of five children, and a member of the centrist party Horizons, led by potential presidential candidate Édouard Philippe. She, divorced and mother of three children, belonged to the Democratic Movement Group (MoDem), made up of left-wing macronists.
On the night of November 14, 2023, the senator invited the deputy to celebrate his reelection at a party in his apartment on Monsieur le Prince street in Paris. Sandrine accepted his invitation without much thought, assuming that several mutual friends from their centrist circles would be there. To her surprise, it turned out that Joël Guerriau was alone and also made an effort to create an intimate atmosphere upon her arrival.
At one point, the senator dimmed and brightened the lights, which immediately made her suspicious. He then entertained her with a magic trick involving passing a chain through a circle, which she later interpreted as a sexual insinuation. He then went to the kitchen and returned shortly with a plate of fajitas and champagne glasses to toast.
She noticed a strange taste in the champagne but continued drinking. Shortly after, she felt a tingling in her heart and a heavy sensation in her head. She began to sweat and feel dizzy. He encouraged her to finish her drink, and she continued to experience "strange symptoms" in her body until she panicked.
"I grabbed my phone and called a taxi, but he followed me to the elevator, then to the courtyard, and finally to the taxi. I thought he was going to abuse me," she recalls. On the way, she contacted some friends who took her to Lariboisière Hospital. A toxicological analysis confirmed that she had unknowingly ingested amounts of MDMA (ecstasy) much higher than usual for recreational use. Doctors informed her that the combined use of the stimulant drug with alcohol can cause memory loss for hours.
The deputy filed a complaint, and the senator was arrested the day after the fateful meeting, on November 15, 2023. A bag of ecstasy was found in his apartment. His initial reaction was to claim it was for personal use and that any traces in the glass from which Sandrine Josso drank could have been due to "misguided handling."
During the investigation, the police discovered that the senator had made internet searches such as "where to get ecstasy," "date rape drugs," and "effects of GHB" (another synthetic drug used for chemical submission). According to Le Figaro, the agents even identified a previous victim who claimed to have experienced "a complete blackout" after an encounter with the senator but ultimately did not file a complaint or attend police interviews.
Maximum attention accompanied Joël Guerriau, greeted by a handful of feminists upon his arrival at the Paris Correctional Court. The senator, who resigned from his party and left political life last year, faces a five-year prison sentence and a ¤75,000 fine.
Sandrine Josso, for her part, expects an exemplary sentence and a political response: "France is very behind in the fight against gender violence and chemical submission. Spain has implemented numerous measures and has achieved results. What I intend to do after the trial is to continue fighting against this issue, which is a public health matter."