Protesters exposed major failings in France’s response to domestic abuse as new data alarmed the public. Crowds filled central Paris on Tuesday night and denounced the rapid rise in gender-based violence. They also honoured five women whose partners or former partners killed them last week.
Seventy-eight-year-old activist Marie-Josée expressed deep concern and said the brutal facts constantly overwhelm her. The demonstration unfolded only hours before the government received a significant report demanding sweeping reforms to the justice system’s handling of domestic abuse.
Demands for a Stronger Justice System
Officials received the report on Tuesday, and the document urged France to test a new magistrate role focused solely on intrafamilial violence. French media outlet Le Parisien revealed parts of the report earlier this week ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The authors stressed that domestic abuse requires a broad and coordinated strategy.
Many protesters insisted the situation continues to worsen despite years of political promises. Marie-Josée said she believes equality has regressed since the 1990s and cannot understand the widespread indifference toward women, especially older women. Her concerns reflected national figures showing that partners or former partners killed 107 women in 2024, marking an 11% rise from the previous year.
A Crisis Deepening Across the Country
Fresh government data showed that more than three women in France face femicide or attempted femicide every day. Activist groups warned these figures still fail to capture the true magnitude of the crisis. Government analysts also reported that every seven hours, a woman is killed, nearly killed, pushed toward suicide, or forced to attempt suicide by a partner or ex-partner. Women aged 70 and older represented 26% of victims, increasing nine percent in just one year.
The horrific case of 72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot, drugged by her husband and raped by dozens of men over a decade, stunned France and the world. The case revealed the long-ignored violence inflicted on older women, a reality often dismissed due to sexism and ageism.
Violette, a Solidaires Union member at the protest, said society often ignores older victims because many consider them less “marketable” than younger women. She argued that outrage around the Pelicot case faded too quickly and insisted that decisive action should never depend on shock value.
She also criticized France’s inconsistent strategy and claimed chronic underfunding blocks real progress. She pointed out that organisations call for €3 billion annually, while the government’s 2025 gender-equality budget offers only €94 million.
The Council of Europe previously condemned France’s low prosecution rates and urged the country to adopt tougher measures. As lawmakers debate new proposals and groups intensify demands for long-term investment, protesters on Tuesday night voiced fear that the government still fails to understand the full severity of the crisis.
