During the international day against violence against women, Michel Barnier defended zero tolerance and believed that we had to “go further”.
As the Mazan rape trial soon draws to a close, the government announced new measures to combat violence against women on Monday, November 25, the international day dedicated to this cause.
On the sidelines of a visit to the Maison des femmes at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, Prime Minister Michel Barnier defended zero tolerance regarding this violence and considered that it was necessary to “go further”. “In recent months, the French have been deeply marked by the incredible courage of Gisèle Pélicot,” he continued.
A chemical submission detection kit
On the subject of the chemical submission, Michel Barnier announced the reimbursement by Health Insurance of detection kits “in several departments”, on an experimental basis and according to a schedule yet to be defined.
At the same time, an awareness campaign on chemical submission will be launched, supported by the M’endors pas association, co-founded by the daughter of Gisèle Pelicot and the Crafs listening platform (Reference center on attacks facilitated by substances), in partnership with the Order of Pharmacists. This platform “can answer, and advise you, and tell you in which laboratory, what to do with your hair, blood tests, urine”, explained the Secretary of State for Women’s Equality -men Salima Saa.
File a complaint at the hospital
The government also announced that women could file complaints directly in hospitals that have an emergency or gynecological department. This system already exists in certain hospitals, it will be extended to 377 establishments by the end of 2025. They will have to contact the police station or the gendarmerie so that a member of the police can come and take the complaint. This measure has been promised since 2019.
Budget increase
The budget for assistance for victims of domestic violence will increase from 13 to 20 million euros. Each department should have a women’s center by the end of 2025. Feminist associations deplore announcements which are, according to them, “not up to the challenges”. “If we want things to really change in the lives of women, we must have the means to ensure that announcements are followed up with effects,” Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Women’s Foundation, recalling that the generalization of filing complaints at hospitals had been promised since 2019.
With the Mazan trial, “there was an expectation from society. Not taking advantage of this expectation to make major advances is really missing the moment,” she adds. The National Federation of Information Centers on the Rights of Women and Families (FNCIDFF) affirms that “associations which support women victims of violence could close tomorrow”, for lack of state aid.