France: A good place for women?

In early December, the French government[i] announced a new health measure: "Young people in France will have free access to condoms starting in January to minimize the spread of sexually transmitted infections." Emmanuel Macron said described the move as a "small revolution in prevention." In 2020 and 2021, France saw a 30% national increase in rates of sexually transmitted infections, prompting authorities to act. However, some say there are much more important things at stake - especially when it comes to women - that need to be the government's overriding priority.  However, sexually transmitted diseases take a heavy toll on French citizens, especially French women. Dr. Melanie Taylor[ii], STI expert at the World Health Organization believes, "These sexually transmitted infections can have serious health consequences, for example, these infections can cause infertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and also adverse birth outcomes such as stillbirths, neonatal death, and low birth weight." "We want to tell the french government that all its ambitions to continue this movement will destroy families. Because what it really boils down to is an anti-family ideology, and we're mobilizing against that."

Violence against women in France

The fact[iii] is that the image France tries to give of itself as an ideal place for women, is a distorted version of reality. Behind the attractive facade are heaps of horror stories with women in the role of victims. In late November, a horrific crime sent residents of a French city into state shock after a 14-year-old girl was raped and murdered in the south of the country - weeks after the brutal killing of another 12-year-old girl in Paris. The French Ministry[iv] of the Interior shocked the public in January by releasing data indicating a 33% increase in reported occurrences of sexual assault in 2021. Rape, attempted rape, sexual harassment, and sexual assault were all up 33% from the previous year, while the number of physical attacks was up for the third year running, according to the official crime statistics. Sadly, women and girls in France are disproportionately affected by domestic abuse[v]. A 28-year-old French lady was discovered dead in her Paris flat at the end of January. The police officer who killed her had a history of domestic violence convictions. While the treatment of women around the world has come under scrutiny through campaigns like the #MeToo movement, domestic violence has been overlooked because the wounds of domestic violence are less visible. Margaux Pinot[vi], French Olympic judo champion: "He grabbed me by the hair, he pulled me to the floor, to the left of the bed. Then he put me on the floor, I was on my back, he sat astride me and started hitting me with both hands right and left. I tried to stop him, I told him, "Alain, stop, stop." I didn't even fight back. I don't know where my arms were. I didn't fight back to avoid the blows; I tried to reason with him."

'If you can't say it, write it': French kids reveal abuse

Meanwhile, child abuse is considered one of the worst crimes that can be committed and is widespread in France[vii]: more than 23,500 minors were victims of sexual violence in 2018. Incest is also much more widespread than expected: In 2020, an estimated 6.7 million people were exposed to incest during their lifetime, and 32 percent of French people reported having incest victims in their circle. Edouard Durand, co-chair of Civvies, says, "A year ago, on September 21, 2021, we opened the phone platform to collect testimonies, and within minutes of opening this platform, hundreds of people told us, 'I've been waiting for this moment all my life.' This space to speak created by Ciivise met a need, a need that was very old. A very strong expectation that the experience of childhood sexual violence be recognized by society.

France action against femicide coming

In 2021 alone, 113 women were killed by men, most of whom were their male partners or ex-partners. While Macron's government will distribute free condoms, calling the move a "small revolution in prevention," French women are exposed to the most serious acts of violence that can cost their lives. In the name of freedom, French authorities have left women vulnerable and alone in the face of domestic violence and sexual abuse. French society[viii] needs more than a small revolution in preventing crimes that affect women as guardians of family values.

By: Paazoki