Protesters drew attention to major failings in France’s response to domestic abuse after alarming new figures emerged. Dozens of people gathered in central Paris on Tuesday night to denounce rising gender-based violence and honour its victims. Activist Marie-Josée, 78, expressed deep concern as the crowd remembered five women killed last week by partners or former partners in France. The protest unfolded only hours before the government received a significant report urging a complete overhaul of how the justice system manages intrafamilial abuse. Officials delivered the document on Tuesday to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, and the report proposed testing a specialised magistrate focused solely on domestic violence cases. French media outlet Le Parisien revealed the report earlier this week, noting that domestic abuse demands a broad and coordinated response. Many participants insisted that political promises made for years have failed to stop a worsening reality for women. Marie-Josée said she believes equality has slipped backward since the 1990s and questioned the ongoing indifference toward women, particularly older ones. Her worries reflect a deepening emergency, as 2024 saw 107 women killed by partners or ex-partners — an 11% rise from the previous year.
Disturbing Figures Reveal the Scale
Fresh data released last week by the government’s MIPROF mission showed that more than three women each day face a femicide or attempted femicide in France, and the number keeps climbing annually. Activist groups warned that these figures still do not show the full extent of the crisis. The government’s annual observatory also reported that every seven hours a woman is killed, nearly killed, pushed to suicide, or attempts suicide because of a partner or former partner. Women aged 70 and above made up 26% of victims, reflecting a nine percent rise in one year. The heavily publicised case of 72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot, whom her husband drugged and forced to endure rape by dozens of men over a decade, shocked France and the world. The case revealed a hidden truth: older women also suffer sexual violence, a reality long dismissed because of ageist and sexist assumptions. Protester Violette, a member of the Solidaires Union, said society often disregards older victims because people do not view them as “bankable” the way younger women supposedly are. Speaking about Pelicot’s case, she argued that public attention briefly surged but quickly faded, insisting that action must not depend on rare media shocks.
Calls for Serious Investment
Violette also criticised France’s inconsistent and chronically underfunded strategy. She argued that organisations have repeatedly stated the need for €3 billion each year to make real progress. Yet the government’s 2025 equality budget totals only €94 million, far below what groups consider necessary for meaningful nationwide policy. The Council of Europe previously described France’s low prosecution rate for aggressors as “particularly worrying” and urged the country to enforce stronger measures. As Parliament evaluates new proposals and organisations intensify demands for sustained funding, protesters on Tuesday night said they fear leaders still do not understand the gravity of the crisis.
