A new educational system created by Femmes Solidaires 30, which aims to inform victims of their rights when filing complaints.
“If the complaint is poorly taken into account or misunderstood, there is a good chance that it will be dismissed”explains Martine Gayraud, president of Femmes Solidaires 30. According to figures from the Institute of Public Policies, “86% of sexual violence is dismissed without further action, or even 94% for rape”she specifies. A startling observation. To try to improve the handling of these complaints, the association presented this Thursday, November 14, their new device: a complaints meter.
Awareness raising and reminder of rights
“Like the “violentometer”, it allows the victim to assess whether their complaint was well received. Then we gathered all the legal texts at the back, because we realized that many people don't know them”she adds. Possibility of asking to be interviewed by a police officer or gendarme of the same sex, giving the address of a third person rather than one's own to avoid any reprisals, being accompanied throughout the hearing, are all rights that are included in the plaintometer. A tool made available to victims in associations, social centers but also reception areas.
“For 17% of feminicides, women had filed a complaint”
“The idea is to encourage victims to file a complaint. Too often, we still wait until people do not want to take the step out of fear: fear of not being listened to, fear that it will lead to nothing. However, the complaint is essential”insists the president of the association, while recalling that “for 17% of feminicides, women had filed a complaint”. This system therefore aims to inform victims, but not only. “Our goal is not to point the finger at the work done by the police. On the contrary, progress is being made. But there is a lack of resources, which can sometimes delay the processing of the complaint”she nuances.
A subsidy to promote accommodation for victims
In this sense, the Femmes solidaires 30 association plans to organize a meeting within the Nîmes police academy, to address the various issues concerning violence against women. For its part, the Region, represented by Katy Guyot, who supports this initiative supported by the association, announces “the signing of a grant next December, to renovate buildings to accommodate women victims of violence”specifies the regional advisor. So many projects aim to avoid tragedies, such as femicide which, as of November 10, has already reached the number of 117 women killed…
