POLICY – “The Billion” demanded by the associations is still not on the agenda but a few announcements nevertheless. Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced this Monday, November 25, four measures intended to combat the scourge of violence against women, on the occasion of the International Day of Struggle.
On the sidelines of a visit to the Maison des femmes at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, Michel Barnier said “determination” et « l’engagement » from the government on this subject. “There is and will not be any form of tolerance towards this violence”he declared, referring in particular to the Mazan rape trial which reopened the debate on the definition of rape in the law and highlighted the subject of chemical submission.
To combat what was until recently a blind spot in violence against women, the Prime Minister announced the testing of a detection kit reimbursed by Health Insurance to easily detect any trace of substances the day after an alleged assault.
Women’s centers and filing a complaint at a hospital
Second measure: the generalization by the end of 2025 of the filing of complaints in all hospitals in France with an emergency department or a gynecological department. It is “an outstretched hand” to the victims but “only one, to avoid steps and sometimes discouragement”estimated the head of government. At the same time, he announced the establishment in “each department” of France of a Women’s House before the end of 2025. Finally, 7 million euros in additional credits will be released for the shelter – departure from the marital home and other related costs – of victims of domestic violence.
According to government figures, 93 femicides were identified as such in 2023 and 270,000 people were victims of domestic violence, 85% of whom were women. The fight against violence against women is a “very long way”underlined Michel Barnier. “We must go further because this path is not finished”.
The Prime Minister also said ” open “ to an evolution of the legislative definition of rape, while the trial of Dominique Pelicot and the 50 co-accused questions the absence of the notion of consent in French law. This trial “will mark a before and an after” and « we are awaiting the outcome carefully,” said the Prime Minister. The public prosecutor requested this Monday the maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment against Dominique Pelicot. The verdict is expected by December.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.fr