A high-ranking government official is facing allegations of administering substances to over 240 women to induce urination during job interviews. Christian Nègre, a senior civil servant at France’s culture ministry, is under investigation for reportedly spiking beverages with an illegal diuretic before taking female candidates on extended “walking interviews”.
According to reports, some of the women experienced symptoms such as dizziness and fainting, leading to public instances of urination or wetting themselves. Nègre is accused of drugging these women over a nine-year period, anticipating the need for restroom breaks.
The investigation was initiated in 2019 following various charges, including sexual assault and drugging. Authorities discovered a concerning spreadsheet on Nègre’s computer labeled “P Experiments”, detailing dosages, dates, and reactions of the affected women.
Women seeking jobs at the ministry alleged that Nègre often suggested conducting interviews outdoors, far from restroom facilities. One such applicant, Sylvie Delezenne, recounted her experience of being targeted during a job search in 2015.
Delezenne, a marketing professional from Lille, shared that she received a LinkedIn message from an HR manager at the French culture ministry, leading her to Paris for an interview with Nègre. Despite being unaware of such tactics, she accepted a coffee offered by him during the meeting.
She described selecting a coffee from a vending machine and Nègre handing it to her after a brief interaction with a colleague. Subsequently, he proposed a walk around the city to discuss work matters, where Delezenne began feeling unwell and urgently needing to use the restroom.
Delezenne recounted her distressing experience of having to relieve herself in public as Nègre allegedly stood by, offering to shield her with his jacket. The incident left her physically uncomfortable, leading to lasting effects on her job-seeking endeavors and travel plans to Paris.
Nègre’s legal representative declined to provide comments during the ongoing investigation, while a lawyer for the accusers highlighted the issue as a matter of power and control over women’s bodies through manipulation and humiliation.