France, June 30 -- "We went from 70,000 to 88,000 complaints involving children" recorded by investigative services, of which "7,452 concern crimes (...) where the alleged perpetrator is known," Darmanin told French daily Le Monde, in an interview published on Tuesday.

He admitted that while there has been "an extremely important awakening across the entire criminal justice chain" regarding violence against women, this has "not entirely" been the case for children.

Darmanin last month ordered 70,000 cases involving sexual violence against children to be reviewed by 14 July.

This following the discovery of 11-year-old Lyhanna's body in the Gers department on 4 June which sparked public anger over the justice system's handling of the cas...