The equipment to prevent domestic violence will not fail to promise the government. “There is no problem of resources” to finance them assured Prime Minister Jean Castex by promising the deployment of as many anti-reconciliation bracelets and “serious danger phones” as necessary to protect women from violence of their ex-spouses.
A thousand anti-reconciliation bracelets, imposed by justice on violent men to force them to stay away from their victim, are available to magistrates and 245 are “active”, said Jean Castex. Likewise, 2,310 “serious danger telephones”, which allow women to call emergency help and be geolocated, have been deployed, of which 1,652 are “active”. The objective of 3,000 telephones deployed by November will be met, and “if the needs continue to increase at the end of November, we will make as many as necessary available to the courts”, the head of government further underlined.
“Improve the detection of weak signals”
Accompanied by three of his ministers, Eric Dupond-Moretti (Justice), Elisabeth Moreno (Equality between women and men) and Marlène Schiappa (Citizenship), Jean Castex was in Saint-Lô to ensure the correct application in the field of the 46 measures decided at the end of the Grenelle against domestic violence. Women victims of this “scourge” should not wait for “the 2nd, 3rd or 4th episode of violence” to be sheltered, insisted Jean Castex, who signed a circular aimed at improving coordination and exchange. information between police officers, magistrates, associations …
To “improve the detection of weak signals”, the government has planned to create a file of perpetrators of domestic violence, but the creation of this new tool is behind schedule, he admitted. The compliance of the project with the law “Informatique et Libertés” must be verified, “and it takes time, a little too much for my taste, since we are told that it will take 18 months”, regretted Jean Castex, who “would be happy ”if“ we could accelerate these deadlines ”.
“Weakly insufficient” financial resources
Since the beginning of the year, 76 women have been killed by their spouse or ex-spouse, according to the Prime Minister. Last year, the toll reached 102 victims, after 146 in 2019. For the Women’s Foundation, the “persistence of violence” shows that the arsenal of measures must be completed, and that the financial resources dedicated to this cause are still “largely insufficient”.
“I would like to hear the government say that it is putting the means” whatever the cost “to defend women,” said Anne-Cécile Mailfert, the president of this organization. foundation. Announced as a priority of the five-year term, this fight is being waged “with bits of string”, she regretted. According to her, it would also be necessary to multiply by 10 the number of protection orders granted to women who say they are in danger, while waiting for them to gather the elements to substantiate their complaint. But magistrates are still too “reluctant” to use this tool, she said. Finally, argues the foundation, it would be necessary to develop “accountability courses” for aggressors, and to improve their follow-up by the probation and penitentiary integration services.