Protesters gathered in central Paris and spotlighted failures in France’s domestic-violence response.
They filled the square and condemned the sharp rise in gender-based assaults nationwide.
They honoured five women whom partners or former partners killed last week.
Seventy-eight-year-old activist Marie-Josée voiced deep alarm as she addressed the crowd.
She described how new tragedies constantly overwhelm communities and families.
Calls for Deep Judicial Reform
Officials received a major report that urged sweeping changes to France’s justice system.
Experts submitted the document to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin on Tuesday.
They proposed a specialised magistrate who would handle only intrafamilial-violence cases.
They argued that domestic abuse demands a coordinated and far-reaching strategy.
The report, revealed earlier by Le Parisien, warned that fragmented policies fuel continued harm.
Protesters insisted that long-standing political promises have failed to protect women.
Marie-Josée described a decline in equality since the 1990s.
She questioned the widespread indifference toward women, especially older women.
Her concern reflected a worsening reality for victims across France.
Official data recorded 107 femicides in 2024, marking an 11% rise from 2023.
Government figures showed more than three femicides or attempts occur every day.
Activist groups stressed that these statistics still underestimate the true scope of the crisis.
Authorities also reported that someone attempts to kill or drive a woman to suicide every seven hours.
Women over seventy represented more than a quarter of victims, a stark yearly increase.
Exposed Realities and Demands for Action
The case of 72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot shocked France and drew global attention.
Her husband drugged her and enabled repeated assaults by dozens of men over ten years.
The case exposed hidden violence against older women and dismantled ageist assumptions.
Violette, a member of the Solidaires Union, said society often dismisses older survivors.
She argued that the public treats younger women as more visible and therefore more “marketable.”
She stressed that outrage faded quickly after Pelicot’s case dominated headlines.
She warned that France cannot rely on media shocks to trigger action.
She criticised the national strategy as inconsistent and severely underfunded.
She claimed effective measures would require €3 billion each year.
The government allocated only €94 million for gender-equality efforts in 2025.
The Council of Europe previously criticised France’s low prosecution rate for abusers.
It urged officials to strengthen enforcement and prioritise survivor safety.
Lawmakers now study new proposals, while organisations call for sustained investment.
Protesters on Tuesday night voiced fear that authorities still underestimate the crisis’s depth.
