About the founder
Highlighting the founder's background and commitments
Martine C. Lea Mergui, founder of USAFORCHILD.COM, is an expert in American, French and European criminal law and procedure. She holds master's degrees in business law and political science from the University of Paris-Panthéon-Sorbonne, and in criminal law and practice from the University of Paris-Saclay. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in American criminal justice with the highest honor from Florida International University in Miami.
She has spent much of her life working to defend the rights of victims, with particular emphasis on minors who are especially vulnerable due to limited physical and psychological safeguards. Her professional experience encompasses advocacy for children in school disciplinary proceedings, as well as collaboration with associations and law firms dedicated to defending victims of all ages. Her extensive work in the field has built her expertise in Child and Youth victimology and strengthened her commitment to advancing child protection protocols and implementing criminal law more effectively.
Additionally, she utilized her findings to author a memoir dedicated to “The Evolution of Criminal Protection for Minors Against Sexual Crimes and Offenses”. This research was conducted during the legislative discussions surrounding the French historic law of April 21, 2021, that implemented new, independent legal categories specifically addressing incest—a development long anticipated in France—as well as new offenses focused on safeguarding minors online.
In addition, her understanding of how often sexual abuse by relatives occurs among young family members led her to undertake a doctoral thesis on the “French Criminal Protection of Minors in the Family Context: The Specificity of Sexual Abuse, Comparisons with the US, and Prospects for Change.” This research is based on a comparative analysis of the French and American judicial systems, underscoring the complementary aspects of both models. It introduces innovative strategies to address incestuous abuse and the commercial exploitation of minors perpetrated by family members. The objective of her work is to present actionable reform proposals to existing institutions with the goal of significantly reducing, or eradicating, the concerning rates of child abuse.
Nevertheless, recognizing the general public’s limited awareness and the inadequate training of professionals regarding the victimization of Child and Youth, Ms. Mergui decided to take her efforts a step further by disseminating her findings through the development of a website that compiles comprehensive information on the topic. Identified gaps in the support offered to minor victims by educational or medical personnel also served as further impetus for this initiative. The objective is to centralize scientific, comprehensive, and clear information on the topic. For instance, the site provides regularly updated practical information sheets reflecting recent changes in US criminal policy at both federal and state levels, ensuring it is regularly updated and thoroughly explained in accordance with developments in criminal policy. Moreover, the incorporation of field observations underscores the importance of considering the psychological factors affecting minors both before and after victimization, as well as their socio-demographic environment. These measures are aiming to uphold the effective implementation of the “best interests of the child” international principle to which the founder is particularly attached.
Wishing you a fruitful reading!