One hundred and forty-six women were killed in 2019 in France by their spouse or ex-companion, 25 more than the previous year, according to figures from the survey of the delegation to victims made public Monday by the ministry of the Interior.

Twenty-seven men were also killed within the couple, for a total of 173 deaths. This represents on average one death every two days. 2019 was however a year of awareness on the subject, declared "great cause of the five-year term" of Emmanuel Macron, with in particular a Grenelle against domestic violence in the fall.

>> To read also: "Fight against domestic violence: look back on 30 years of fight"

According to the study, the victim is generally a woman, of French nationality, aged 30 to 49 or over 70 and not exercising or no longer working. After the Grenelle of the autumn, the Parliament definitively adopted at the end of July a bill intended to better "protect the victims of domestic violence".

The Grenelle "allowed a real awareness and mobilization of the whole society in the face of domestic violence. Before the Grenelle, 8% of the population knew the 39 19 (help number, Editor's note); it is now more than 64% ", insists Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship in a press release co-signed with the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, and the Minister Delegate in charge of Equality between women and men, Elisabeth Moreno. "Better identify and better protect victims, better punish aggressors are therefore (...) my priorities," says the latter.

A majority of homicides at the couple's home

This text, which notably introduces an exception to medical confidentiality in the event of "immediate danger", constitutes the second legislative component of an arsenal which is intended to be offensive against violence within families. A first series of measures had already been adopted at the end of 2019, including the generalization of the anti-reconciliation bracelet against violent spouses and ex-spouses, which should be implemented in September.

According to the study, the majority (76%) of homicides take place in the home of the couple, the victim or the perpetrator, 31% are motivated by an argument and 20% by an unacceptable separation. According to figures provided by the ministry, 36% of homicides were committed with knives and 24% by firearms.

For its part, the collective "Feminicides by companions or ex" identified 152 cases in 2019. On this basis, AFP carried out checks throughout 2019 with the police and gendarmerie, magistrates, lawyers, mayors or close to the perpetrators and victims. In total, AFP counted at least 126 cases last year. In a dozen additional cases, the investigations failed to demonstrate that it was indeed a feminicide.

Since January 2020, at least 46 suspected feminicides have been identified, according to an AFP count.

>> To read also: "Domestic violence: during confinement, maintain dialogue with the victims at all costs"

With AFP

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