Published on
updated on
Reading 2 min.
in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
September 24, 2024
On Saturday, the body of a 19-year-old student – missing since the day before – was found buried in the Bois de Boulogne. While the circumstances of her death remain unclear, how can we prevent such tragedies? Dr. Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo, gives us some valuable advice for dealing with a delicate situation.
While she was simply supposed to return home to her parents after school, a young woman suddenly disappeared this Friday, September 20, shortly after 2 p.m. Her body was found in the Boulogne forest, about 100 meters from the Paris-Dauphine University, where she was a student.
The body was discovered during a search
It was after having lunch at the university restaurant of Paris-Dauphine that Philippine, a young 19-year-old student, disappeared. The young woman did not return to her parents’ home in Yvelines, where she was expected.
His relatives then tried, in vain, to call him. It was his sister who raised the alarm on Friday evening at the police station in the 16th arrondissement (police source, AFP).
On Saturday, while Philippine had still not given any sign of life, a large search was organized in the forest in Boulogne.
Around 4 p.m., the young woman’s cell phone was located, as was her body, which was found nearby. The prosecutor’s office quickly confirmed the identity of Philippine, whose body showed numerous “traces of abuse and injuries“.
Although the circumstances of this tragedy are still unclear, and the investigation is ongoing, everything suggests that this death followed a bad encounter.
Feeling good in your body, feeling good in your head!
Dr. Gérald Kierzek invites everyone to:
- Stay vigilant and pay attention to your surroundings, especially at night or in isolated places to avoid;
- Favor busy, well-lit places;
- Avoid headphones/headphones that prevent you from hearing what is happening around you;
- To walk with a confident step, to appear confident;
- Inform your loved ones of your movements;
- Learn some basic self-defense techniques;
- Always have your phone charged and within reach.
And in case of assault?
The medical director of Doctissimo recommends:
- To shout loudly to attract attention;
- To try to escape if possible;
- To defend oneself physically if necessary (blows to sensitive areas);
- To use an object as a defensive weapon if available (keys, spray, etc.);
- Call for help and rescue as soon as possible.
Finally, there are some applications and technologies that can be very useful.
- 1. App’Elles: application with geolocated alert button to contact relatives and optimize emergency response.
- 2. UMAY: a mobile application that allows you to find safe places and alert you in case of danger.
- 3. Circle of 6: an application to quickly contact 6 trusted people.
- 4. Safee Smartphone Case: a technology that conceals an anti-aggression device that can be activated in less than 3 seconds and offers video recording.
- 5. Connected alert bracelets : like the MyEli or Eve bracelets.
- 6. Geolocation applications : these allow a person to be geolocated in real time by their loved ones.
- 7. Personal alarms: These portable alarms must be triggered manually.