According to recent studies, domestic violence in France increased by 10% last year, affecting 159,400 people in precise figures, of which 139,200 were women.
Although, in comparison, the number of murders of women by current or former partners fell from 146 (in 2019) to 102, that still accounts for one murder of a woman every third day. And the numbers are rising, according to organisers of the International Day Against Violence Against Women protests, 101 women have already been murdered this year. In the face of these figures, over 50,000 people gathered across France to demonstrate against patriarchy. The old French state is trying to solve the problem with 360 million euros a year - but so far without success. Now women's organisations are demanding that this sum be tripled, as only 12% of all affected women have access to legal and psychological support. Emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence could also only cover 40% of the need.
The reactionary French government, on the other hand, argues that it has already increased the number of shelters, set up an emergency telephone for victims of domestic violence and given police officers special training on how to deal with cases of patriarchal violence - but the success of this remains unknown, as recent reports show. It just goes to show once again that the old bourgeois state is not interested in fighting patriarchy as it consolidates the power of the ruling class. However, the fact that more and more women are taking to the streets to fight against patriarchy also shows that they have less and less faith in the old state.
