The accusations against Taha Bouhafs reflect on “The Media” – Le Monde

Media journalist Taha Bouhafs in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis), Saturday May 7, 2022. JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP Is the Media facing the fourth crisis in its history? With the accusations of sexual assault of which Taha Bouhafs is the target, her employer sees the sincerity of her feminist commitment challenged by several former collaborators. The pure-player reputed to be close to La France insoumise nevertheless took care to distance himself, from Wednesday May 11, with his reporter, on unpaid leave for a few days because of his candidacy – now lapsed – in the legislative elections of June. “The facts alleged against Taha Bouhafs are in total contradiction with the feminist and progressive values ​​that our cooperative has defended since its creation, in particular through its editorial commitment”, writes the management of the site, promising to “take the measures that will prove necessary” to regain a certain consistency. Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the “rebellious” in the storm of the Bouhafs affair This statement immediately made Virginie Cresci, a journalist at the Media between 2018 and 2019, jump, who told on Twitter, and for the first time publicly, having been called a “liar” and a “feminazi” several times by her superior. “There is no feminist commitment to the Media. Stop instrumentalizing this cause and be worthy, ”retorted Maud Le Rest, freelancer for the site between February and August 2021, on the social network. The latter testifies to a certain difficulty in seeing the subjects relating in particular to violence against women retained. Reasons given, depending on the situation and according to several witnesses contacted by Le Monde: the lack of audience they were supposed to cause, or even the company’s lack of financial means, which forced other arbitrations. At the time, the young woman had just responded to a job offer specializing in feminism and gender issues. But her collaboration had been limited to freelancing, while Taha Bouhafs had just benefited from a permanent job: in the Media, no female journalist has a permanent contract (out of thirteen employees, including two women, according to its administrative and financial manager). “We are not a masculinist organization” In June 2021, the internship report of a student from the IUT de journalisme de Lannion (Côtes-d’Armor), who had attended the small editorial office for several months, cruelly underlined: “The place of women is precarious and contrary to the “feminist” values ​​that Le Média seeks so much to have. The Media is run by men, for men, and does not allow for proper treatment of LGBTQIA +, progressive and feminist content. The presenter Nadiya Lazzouni and an editor of the morning show, Lisa Lap, on the contrary assure the World not to work in a sexist climate. You have 34.79% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.