The courts recognize the anxiety suffered by a victim of the Sambre rapist.

The Douai Court of Appeal took an unprecedented step in June by recognizing the existence of anxiety-related damages for a victim of the Sambre River rapist. Dino Scala, who terrorized the region from the 1980s until his arrest in 2018, attempted to rape this cleaning woman on February 8, 2002, in Louvroil. The court awarded €5,000 to the plaintiff, who was represented by lawyer Romain Soual. According to Soual, this is the first time an appeals court has validated the existence of such damages in the case of attempted rape, and more broadly, in the context of a serial crime.

Sixteen years of acknowledged uncertainty

The court emphasized that the victim had lived for sixteen years in constant uncertainty about the identity of her attacker. This long period of anguish left lasting scars. The woman had developed a persistent fear of going to work alone, a symptom of trauma that extended far beyond the assault itself.

This decision could pave the way for other victims of serial crimes seeking recognition of similar harm. Lawyer Romain Soual sees it as a significant step forward in acknowledging the long-term psychological consequences suffered by victims of unsuccessful assaults.