Kriti Mehrotra
With Hulu’s ‘Killer Lies: Chasing A True Crime Con Man’ carefully exploring the world’s obsession with this genre through the tale of Stéphane Bourgoin, we get a docuseries unlike any other. That’s because it incorporates extensive exclusive interviews with not just those affected by this now disgraced self-proclaimed true crime expert but also real professionals, historians, loved ones, etc. Though arguably, the one individual to have captured our attention the most was Dahina Sy-Le Guennan, who was actually sexually assaulted by serial killer Michel Fourniret back in 1982.
Dahina Sy Was One of Michel Fourniret’s First Targets
Although born and raised around north-central France her entire life, Dahina still vividly remembers her mother always ruling over all four of her kids with an iron fist once their father left. It didn’t matter if they were familiar with their surroundings, if they wished to hang out with some long-term friends, or if they simply wanted to roam outside, she practically had a say in each step they took. But alas, everything turned upside down on September 4, 1982, as 14-year-old Dahina didn’t return home when expected after having spent the day with her brother as well as her boyfriend.
According to this then teen’s own accounts, someone had started following her once she arrived at the Épernon station before suddenly grabbing her arm and forcing her to move with him. Michel had not started killing by this point, yet he did reportedly threaten Dahina with a bottle of sulphuric acid/vitriol and some intense words so as to ensure she got in his car without a peep. “He told me he had stolen a car, the police were after him, and he was taking me as a hostage,” she once revealed, only for him to then just talk about himself and his motives while driving her to a remote spot.
That’s where the voyeur, virgin-seeking Michel told Dahina he was going to “simulate a rape” before tying her up and getting completely undressed, per the teen’s official, formal testimonies. However, she added, “instead of simulating it, he really did try to rape me. But… he suffers from premature ejaculation, so he was not… not really able to rape me — not really able to penetrate me properly.” As if that’s not enough, he subsequently even managed to manipulate her into believing what he did wasn’t terrible at all, so there was no point in her filing a police report or pressing charges.
Dahina Sy Admittedly Carries Some Guilt Over The Ensuing Events
It was roughly two years later when Dahina was suddenly contacted by the Evry court asking her to come in, just for her to find out her attacker had been arrested on 17 pedophile offenses. She had no idea she would actually be facing him in the judge’s chamber, only for there to then be an intense investigation into her matter until the court decided the charge of rape wouldn’t stick. That’s because the teen’s hymen had not been torn enough, so they were left to determine if what she went through was “really rape” or not – in the end, the ordeal was ruled to be a mere “indecent assault.”
In the end, Michel was sentenced to a mere five years behind bars, out of which two were immediately suspended and 3 were given probation, so he essentially had a lot of his freedom. Little could anybody have imagined he would subsequently turn to murder in one of the most heinous ways imaginable – after all, he is the most prolific serial killer to have ever come out of this area. Nevertheless, even though she herself was a victim, Dahina felt guilty about the deaths of her “murdered little sisters” and even regretted not having been killed during her rape because it would mean Michel would have gotten jail time and all his other victims would have been alive.
Dahina Sy is Now Happily Moving Forward in Life
While Dahina’s guilt and her own traumatic past affected her to such an extent she even tried dying by suicide three different times, she had found newfound courage by the time Michel was arrested for good. That’s how she was able to face him in court, lock him straight in the eyes, and tell him, “F**k you! You didn’t break me… I won. Not you. But I don’t know if we’re allowed to swear in this place.” It has undeniably been a hard road for Dahina over the years, especially with the bump of Stéphane Bourgoin sharing her entire story with the world through a graphic novel after she had opened up to him in confidence.
Nevertheless, Dahina appears to be as happy as possible today – she prefers to lead a life well away from the limelight these days for privacy reasons, yet it is clear she is happy. That’s especially because this French native has since managed to find true love, get married, settle down into a good home in her homeland itself, as well as welcome three adorable children into their lives. In other words, this ‘Sous France’ author and the President of the Victims of Serial Killer Association – founded by survivors, family members of victims, and lawyers – is a seemingly content family woman at the moment.
Read More: Stéphane Bourgoin: Where is the Discredited True Crime Expert Now?
