Paris (AFP)

Submitted Tuesday to the vote of the Assembly, the proposed law on violence against women provides for the establishment of the anti-rapprochement bracelet, more effective protection orders, and also intends to breathe life into the serious phone danger.

This vote at first reading, with the support of the government, takes place in full Grenelle domestic violence, while 121 feminicides were recorded in 2018, according to the Ministry of the Interior, and already as much this year according to the associations.

. Anti-rapprochement bracelet

The anti-rapprochement bracelet (BAR), which the government wants to put in place in early 2020, makes it possible to geolocate and keep away spouses and violent ex-spouses by triggering a signal, with a remoteness perimeter set by a judge.

This device has been proven in several countries, especially in Spain for ten years, but has never been tested in the field in France, despite several votes for experiments.

The law proposes to generalize the bracelet, as well by a decision of justice in civil as in penal, subject to the consent of the violent spouse.

This consent was essential to avoid a risk of unconstitutionality. According to the author of the bill, Aurélien Pradié, the abusive spouse will however be strongly encouraged to accept the criminal bracelet to prevent pre-trial detention or benefit from a sentence adjustment if he is already convicted.

In civil cases, if he refuses the bracelet, the judge for family matters (JAF) can immediately notify the public prosecutor.

. Six days to protect

Created in 2010 and issued by the family court judge, the protection order makes it possible to shelter a person who has been the victim of domestic violence and to rule on measures relating to children and housing.

So far, the JAF, once seized, had to decide "as soon as possible" without time limit, and the average had increased to 42 days.

The bill gives him a maximum of six days to decide and encourages him to rule on all the prerogatives available to him: housing, methods of exercising parental authority ...

If the judge issues a protection order, the perpetrator will be prohibited from acquiring or holding a weapon.

For housing, new principle: the victim may, if she wishes, stay in the couple's home and it will be up to the abusive partner to relocate.

If the victim leaves the housing, the text provides as an experiment financial assistance: taking care of the deposit or the rental guarantee, advance of the first months of rent ... This device will be tested three years.

Against the opinion of the government, LR deputies also voted an amendment asking the prefects to allocate "emergency" housing for women victims of violence on the quota of reserved housing of the state. It remains to be seen whether this measure will be maintained after the passage of the text in the Senate.

. Restart the serious phone danger

Tested in 2009 in Seine-Saint-Denis and Strasbourg, the serious phone danger was introduced into law in 2014.

Provided with a single key to call for help, this device is granted for six months renewable to women victims of domestic violence who request it. Once engaged, it allows a rapid intervention of law enforcement.

In 2018, serious danger phones enabled 420 interventions, against 282 in 2017.

But they remain too little deployed. The "two-thirds sleep in closets" of the administration, lack of decision to assign them, insisted Aurélien Pradié.

His bill therefore wants to facilitate and expand access to the device, which victims can directly claim from the public prosecutor.

The serious phone danger can be assigned earlier, when the perpetrator is fleeing or even before a judicial ban to contact the victim.

© 2019 AFP