Credits: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0.
Adriana Karembeu shocked her fans and the general public by revealing in her new book, Free, published on May 2, that she had been the victim of an attempted rape in 2010 by a famous French director. This revelation came in a context in which the film industry is facing several similar accusations. In her account, the former model describes a meeting that quickly turned into a nightmare.
Invited to discuss a script, she found herself alone with the director who, under the pretext of a professional approach, tried to rape her. "He puts his hand on my knee, then suddenly lunges at me, kissing me violently," she writes, evoking the fear she felt during the assault. Adriana Karembeu says she found the strength to push her attacker away, a strength she attributes to her past experiences.
This testimony is particularly poignant, as she reveals that she later came face to face with her attacker in a social setting, a meeting that deeply upset her. "He dares to greet me in front of my husband, with his lecherous look," she says, a situation that painfully reminds her of her assault.
These revelations come at a time when the #MeToo movement continues to expose unacceptable abuse in various industries, including the highly visible film industry. Beautiful Adriana Karembeu’s book is therefore intended as an important addition to the debate on sexual assault.