“There, we are breaking the representations of the general public. The gendarmerie is present in a place dedicated to the protection of people who are victims of violence,” explains Major Marie-Hélène Ledain. The head of the Morbihan Family Protection House unit welcomes the new partnership which was established this Thursday, December 19, 2024, between the gendarmerie group and the CIDFF (Information Center on the Rights of Women and families from Morbihan, in Vannes.
“Free speech”
From January 2025, the major will be on duty one afternoon per month in the Vannes branch of the center, in the Moments pour Elles reception area. What’s special about these meetings? People are not greeted by a uniform. “The gendarme is in civilian clothes, unarmed while guaranteeing anonymity. This frees up speech. » Without triggering legal proceedings that we cannot control. “This does not commit him to anything, adds Lieutenant-Colonel Patrice Lagadec, deputy officer in charge of prevention at the group. This is aimed at people who have difficulty taking the plunge. Who have difficulty positioning themselves in relation to the situations in which they find themselves. »
Victims are referred to this center by CIDFF professionals according to their needs. “The idea is to allow them to have all the information to move forward and make decisions that allow them to protect themselves,” add Christine Bonfiglio and Véronique Poulain, president and director of the CIDFF. This hotline is a new tool available focused on filing complaints. “We prepare it and explain the procedure and its consequences, but also the rights they have in the event of legalization,” adds Marie-Hélène Ledain, who has had to increase the number of hours in place at L'écoutille in Lorient since 2022. Proof that the system has already proven itself.
CIDFF, 32, boulevard de la resistance in Vannes, 02 97 63 52 36
