The Ministry of Social Affairs presented an arsenal of measures to combat violence against women and strengthen cooperation between the various actors.
Marisol Touraine wants to facilitate the journey of women victims of domestic violence. On the occasion of the international day against violence against women, and while a woman dies every three days in France under the blows of her spouse, the Minister of Social Affairs, Health, and Women’s Rights announced an arsenal of measures.
Incite to file a complaint
First objective: to systematize the filing of complaints. Indeed, according to estimates, less than one battered woman in five dares to file a complaint against her spouse. Not only is the process psychologically painful; but in addition, many testimonies relate the reluctance of certain police stations to register these complaints.
To remedy this situation, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs produced a convention on the handling of handrails intended for the police. The Ministries of the Interior, Justice and the State Secretariat for Women’s Rights have also signed it. “The complaint must become a principle, and the handrail the exception,” assen Marisol Touraine.
For its part, the association “Halte Aide aux femmes battered” underlined that mentalities were starting to change, little by little. “In the training of police officers is included a module on violence against women, the new generation is therefore sensitized,” President Viviane Monnier told AFP.
“Great danger” telephone, empowerment courses
On the justice side, a circular was sent out on Tuesday to all prosecutors in France, with the evaluation of a series of measures taken by the government. Thus, Christiane Taubira was delighted with the effectiveness of the “great danger” telephone, a special telephone which equips the homes of women in danger, and which enables the security forces to be discreetly alerted for rapid intervention.
The Minister of Justice also praised the “encouraging results” of the empowerment courses for the accused, a kind of think tank set up to “treat the perpetrators of domestic violence to save the victims”, to resume. the expression of the Academy of Medicine. 72 public prosecutors in France have already used it.
Referent in hospitals
Coordinating the response of the different actors is a major stake in the fight against domestic violence, according to Marisol Touraine. The Minister thus mentioned a new protocol to create a continuous journey for the victims of this violence, by encouraging the networking of professionals responsible for supporting them. It will be tested in Alsace and Aquitaine.
Thus, Marisol Touraine announced the establishment in each emergency hospital service of a referent in matters of sexual violence, a health professional, who will also be responsible for raising the awareness of other professionals. The Haute Autorité de Santé will be called upon to identify good practices in terms of screening and monitoring victims.
Housing for battered women
Another wish of the government: to strengthen access to independent housing for women victims of violence. According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, 410 places dedicated to women victims of violence were created in 2013. By mid-2014, 600 additional accommodation solutions intended for them had been created. 1,600 are still in the pipeline.
The associations enthusiastically welcomed this strengthening of the link between the different actors (health, justice, police, associations) and awareness.
.
