They want to “scream their anger” in the face of the dysfunctions of justice and the political speeches which “defend the aggressors”. Tens of thousands of demonstrators – and demonstrators – are expected this Saturday throughout France to demand a “framework law” against gender-based and sexual violence.
In police stations, courts or within political parties, “the last few months have proven to what extent the voices of victims of gender violence have been called into question”, protest the organizers of the mobilization. “What makes us angry is the impunity of the aggressors and the mistreatment reserved for the victims” when they lodge a complaint, explains Maëlle Noir, member of #WeAll who coordinates the organization of the parades.
Five years after the emergence of the #MeToo movement, “sexist and sexual violence remains massive” and public policies “not adapted to the issue”, say the organizers in their call to demonstrate, signed by nearly 90 associations, unions or left-wing parties. The exasperation of feminist organizations is therefore still as strong, fueled by the high number of feminicides – already 100 since the beginning of the year according to an associative collective, against 122 last year according to official figures -, and… by the reluctance of the political world to dismiss certain officials accused of violence against women.
“We continue to move or dismiss the victim”
“Five years after #metoo, we see that the majority of situations are still just as difficult to resolve”, for their part underlined in a joint letter the CGT, FO, CFTC, FSU, Solidaires, CFDT, UNSA and the CFE-CGC. The unions sent it to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Thursday, also challenging her “on the need to make concrete progress” by taking stock of the measures in place and new proposals as a barometer on the feelings of the workers.
“Instead of suspending, then sanctioning the employee in question, we often continue to move, discredit, even placardize or dismiss the victim, they lament. Prevention policies are still often non-existent or insufficient in the majority of companies, administrations, communities and public establishments. There are rarely formal reporting and investigation mechanisms involving staff representatives. »
The unions are calling for “a multilateral round table to take stock and identify the new provisions to be adopted”, while “without dedicated means or clearly defined prerogatives”, the sexual harassment and sexist acts set up in 2018 ” combine this responsibility with that of elected member of the CSE or the social committee and do not have credits for specific training hours”,
Overall, the procedures could finally soon evolve: under new provisions approved on Wednesday by the deputies, women victims will be able in the future to file a complaint by videoconference if they wish, and be assisted by a lawyer during this procedure. The National Assembly has also toughened the penalties for perpetrators of sexist outrages, including street harassment.
The number of recorded rapes has doubled
For the time being, feminist associations are sorry for the “classifications without follow-up and derisory sentences” decided by the courts and castigate the “gag lawsuits” brought by “powerful, well-known men accused of rape”, who are attacking their accusers to “silence” them.
To fight against violence, they demand a public budget of two billion euros per year, but also a “framework law” which would notably establish “specialized brigades and courts”, financial aid for the “security” of women victims, 15,000 additional dedicated accommodation places, or even the strengthening of education in sexual and emotional life at school.
Because the facts denounced are more and more numerous: between 2017 and 2021, the number of rapes or attempted rapes recorded by the Ministry of the Interior doubled, from 16,900 to 34,300. Victims are more likely to denounce old facts, explains the ministry, which also sees it as a sign of “freedom of speech”. An expression that now exasperates associations, because “women have always spoken, but they are not listened to”, points out Maëlle Noir.
Saturday, in Paris, the procession will leave at 2 p.m. from the Place de la République and will join that of the Nation. Demonstrations are also planned in Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Rennes, Nancy or Dijon, in particular.