Following the D. Baupin affair, 18% of French people interviewed by ELABE declared that they had already suffered sexual harassment, including 28% of women. Many consider society too lax.
The Denis Baupin case, accused of harassment and sexual assault by eight women, has undoubtedly untied the tongues. According to an ELABE Poll (1) for BFMTV, 18% of French people surveyed say they have already been victims of sexual harassment. More precisely, 8% of those questioned claim to have been a victim “several times” and 10% “once”. Sexual harassment appears to be a phenomenon of which women are more frequently the victims than men: 28% of them say they have already been confronted with it (13% “several times” and 15% “once”), against 7% of men (3% “several times” and 4% “once”).
A widespread phenomenon for almost all French people
And faced with these worrying figures, the French do not hide their face. Eight out of ten consider that today in France, sexual harassment is a “very” or “fairly” widespread phenomenon. Almost 20% believe that it is a “very widespread” phenomenon and 60% a “fairly widespread” phenomenon. 85% of women consider the phenomenon to be “very widespread”, which is explained by the fact that they are more often its victims. 70% of men believe that sexual harassment is now a widespread phenomenon in France.
Faced with this feeling, only 20% of those questioned think that French society “fights properly against sexual harassment”. Women are more likely than men to consider that French society is not active enough: 85% denounce a certain laxity, against 74% of men.
A short-lived legal hotline in place
So, to try to bring down the leaden cover that surrounds sexual violence, the Women’s Foundation has just launched an ephemeral and gracious legal hotline: “7 days to break the law of silence,” she hopes. She mentions in particular “the world of politics and its power issues which make it a place where secrecy and silence, even more than elsewhere, prevail”.
So that the victims of politicians and elected representatives of the Republic can testify, the legal commission of the Foundation of Women makes available more than 25 lawyers who will make themselves available to advise victims free of charge. To benefit from it, simply register before May 18 on this form.
People, who can register anonymously, will be contacted and offered a free legal advice session. They will therefore be able to better understand their rights and their possibilities of action. The Women’s Foundation also recommends that all victims contact the Collectif Féministe Contre le Rape on 0800 05 95 95 which has irreplaceable expertise in terms of listening and monitoring.
Laurence Rossignol wants to change the law
On this subject, Laurence Rossignol, Minister of Families, Children and Women’s Rights, wished on Wednesday on Europe1 that access to justice for victims of sexual harassment be “facilitated”, with the possibility for associations to lodge complaints on their behalf. The minister also considered “too short” the current limitation period – three years – for acts of sexual harassment and called on the Senate to vote “on the same terms” as the Assembly “and as soon as possible” on a proposal. of law extending this period to six years.
(1) Survey conducted online on May 10 and 11, 2016 on a sample of 950 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over.
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