mobilization Five years after the emergence of the #MeToo movement, nearly 90 associations, unions or left-wing parties have called for a “tidal wave in the street to shout [their] anger”
A woman poses with fake tears of blood during a rally by the feminist collective NousToutes to demand a new law and two billion euros a year to fight violence against women, in Paris, November 19, 2022. — < em class=”credit”>AFP
Tens of thousands of people were expected in the streets on Saturday throughout France to denounce the dysfunctions of justice in the fight against gender-based and sexual violence, and in particular to demand a “ framework law” against “impunity” aggressors.
Five years after the emergence of the #MeToo movement, nearly 90 associations, unions or left-wing parties have called on to a “tidal wave in the street to shout our anger”.
In Paris, several thousand people have started to parade around 2:30 p.m. from Place de la République to Place de la Nation, an AFP journalist. “We are strong, we are proud and feminist and radical and angry,” protesters chanted, while others shouted “MeToo everywhere, justice nowhere” ;.
The head banner read: “feminists united against gender-based and sexual violence”. On placards, uniformly purple, the emblematic color of the rally, one could read in particular “dominant male, who do you take yourself for?”, “stop at?” rape culture” or “Believing the victims saves lives”
Demonstrating to “pay tribute to the victims”
The organizers were particularly keen to denounce the fact that in the face of gender-based and sexual violence, which “is rooted in patriarchy”, “the institutions are not to blame. height.” “What makes us angry is impunity;” of the aggressors and the ill-treatment reserved for them. to the victims” when they lodge a complaint, explains to AFP Maëlle Noir, member of #NousToutes who coordinates the organization of fashion shows.
“We are demonstrating today to honor the victims,” on his side Sandrine Bouchait, from the National Union of Feminicide Families (UNFF), for whom “feminicide is the top of the pyramid of sexual and sexist violence” and whose association is calling for relatives “a victim status with psychological and financial support”.
More generally, the associations are demanding a public budget of two billion euros per year, but also a “framework law” which would notably establish “brigades and specialized courts”, financial aid for “security” women victims, 15,000 additional dedicated accommodation places or the strengthening of education in sexual and affective life at; school.
Demonstrations in several towns in France
When asked about these demands, the minister responsible for equality men/women, Isabelle Rome, recalled on RMC that it was open to the establishment of specialized police and justice, a subject on which a parliamentary mission is working.
As for the financial means, “they have not ceased; to increase, to reach “an overall amount of 2.4 billion” euros, she observed, acknowledging that these sums are “not specifically” dedicated to the fight against violence, but include broader fields, such as education and “equality” ”economical”.
In addition to Paris, demonstrations – organized ahead of 25 November, the world day for the fight against violence against women. with regard to women –, are provided for; Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Rennes, Nancy or Dijon, in particular. The Parisian demonstration had brought together 50,000 people last year according to the organizers (18,000 according to the police).
Exasperation still alive
A year later, the exasperation of feminist organizations is still just as strong, fueled by the high number of of feminicides – already 100 since the beginning of the year according to an associative collective, against 122 last year according to official figures – from the political world to; Remove certain officials accused of violence against women.
The EELV and LFI parties “have signed; our call to manifest. We will ask them today to respect their signature” and “remove men accused of violence from their caucus,” Pauline Baron, from #NousToutes, citing the cases of Adrien Quatennens (LFI) and Julien Bayou (EELV).
The facts denounced are however 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 2021. 34,300. Victims are more likely to to denounce old facts, explains the ministry, which also sees in it the sign of “the liberation of speech”. An expression that now exasperates associations, because “women have always spoken, but they are not listened to”, points out Maëlle Noir.