Polanski accused of raping woman in 1975

PARIS: A French woman in her early 60s claims she was violently raped at age 18 by Oscarwinning filmmaker Roman Polanski, a fugitive from the US for more than four decades since pleading guilty to a sex offence with a minor.


French newspaper

Le Parisien

said the woman, Valentine Monnier, alleges she was raped in 1975 at Polanski’s chalet in

Gstaad

,

Switzerland

, when she was 18. The paper quoted Polanski’s lawyer, Herve Temime, as saying that Polanski, 86, “firmly contests” the charge. Temime “deplored” in his response to the newspaper that the claim is being made public shortly before Polanski’s latest film, “J’Accuse” is being released. Monnier, now 62,said it was the film that triggered her decision to go public, saying that “rape is a time bomb”. Le Parisien said Monnier had previously written letters to US police, French first lady

Brigitte Macron

and others. One of several who responded was Marlene Schiappa, junior minister for gender equality, who noted the case was too old for judicial action.

Monnier said the “episode occurred when a friend invited her for skiing, with a stay in Polanski’s chalet”. She said Polanski called her in his room, where she found him nude. She said he struck her, disrobed her, tried to make her swallow a pill. “He pummelled me until I gave in and then raped me, making me do all sorts of things.”

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