According to a report from the Ministry of the Interior, 157 people died as a result of domestic violence in 2016. Of these victims, 123 were women.
Each year, violence perpetrated within couples causes around 100 deaths. In 2016, this figure is on the rise, according to a report from the Ministry of the Interior unveiled this Friday. According to this report, 157 people died as a result of domestic violence, 9% more than in 2015 (144 victims).
Of the 157 deaths, 123 are women. The latter therefore remain the main victims of domestic violence. Among them, 109 died as a result of violence committed in their home, by their husband, their partner or their ex. The other 14 were killed by their lover or a short-lived partner.
The study also shows that among the 109 women killed, at least 30 of them were victims of previous violence committed by their “official” husband or spouse. The ministry indicates that 37% of the incriminated spouses were known to the police or gendarmerie.
Also according to the report, a woman dies every 3 days under the beatings of her partner, while a man dies every 11 days for the same reasons. The causes of these murders vary by sex. Among the male perpetrators of these homicides, separation from it appears to be the main cause. Women, on the other hand, kill their husbands most often after an argument. Of the 28 women who murdered, 17 were beaten by their partner.
Nine children killed along with their mother
According to typical profiles drawn up by the investigators, the men who commit these violent acts are between 41 and 50 years old and do not or no longer exercise professional activity. They kill most often at home, without premeditation, and with a firearm. Ditto for women, except that they opt more for the knife.
The report also highlights the presence of children during the act. Nine of them succumbed to blows from their father, along with their mother. Sixteen others witnessed scenes of violence, eight of whom called for help.
“These tragedies too often take place in a context of pre-existing violence that it is necessary to identify. (…) It is also essential to protect children so that they are not witnesses and do not later reproduce what they have experienced, ”said the Minister of the Interior, Gérard Collomb in a joint statement. , and the Secretary of State for Gender Equality, Marlène Schiappa.
Sequelae 16 years later
A large Australian study published in the journal Plos One in June 2016 showed that years after being victims of domestic violence, women still suffer from physical and psychological consequences. In view of these results, the authors insist on the need to set up preventive and educational actions for young girls, especially the most vulnerable.
Interventions all the more important since these young women are often silent victims. A French study coordinated by the Regional Observatory of Violence Against Women of the Hubertine Auclert Center has indeed shown that young women aged 18 to 25 who are victims of violence are less identified by specialized associations.
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