Paris, November 22: A court in southeast France sentenced a 38-year-old man to 20 years in prison on Friday for years of sexual abuse against his adoptive teenage daughter. The man was convicted of raping his daughter and forcing her, starting at the age of 13, into non-consensual sex acts with strangers he contacted online. The case, heard in the Var region, has drawn parallels to the high-profile Pelicot trial, where 51 men are accused of similar crimes involving another victim.

Prosecutors detailed how the father exerted complete control over the girl, blindfolding her during sexual encounters and filming the acts, reported CBS News. He justified his actions in court by claiming that he had a loving relationship with the young girl and had responded to her initiating sexual contact, but prosecutors dismissed this as a cover for his power and domination over the teenager. “This is not about love but about control. He saw her as his possession,” said prosecutor Estelle Bois. France Mass Rape Trial: Man Accused of Drugging His Wife So 72 Men Could Sexually Assault Her Is Testifying in French Court.

A second defendant, a man in his 60s and a father of six, was also sentenced to 16 years in prison for participating in the sex acts. He initially claimed he believed the father’s assertion that the girl was a consenting adult but admitted to ignoring clear signs of abuse. France Shocker: Woman Drugged by Husband, Raped By Strangers Over 90 Times in 10 Years; Victim Demands Public Hearing.

The sexual abuse ended in 2021 when the girl, then 15, fled their home in Cavalaire-sur-Mer after escalating violence. A holidaymaker helped her reach the police. Now 18, she attended the trial with a trained support dog and opted for the trial to remain public, similar to the Pelicot case.

The Pelicot case involves Dominique Pelicot, accused of drugging his wife to enable assaults by strangers. Verdicts in that trial are expected in December. Both cases have highlighted systemic failures and the alarming scale of such crimes, sparking national outrage in France.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 22, 2024 11:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).