Hospital complaint, kit against chemical submission… Michel Barnier announces four measures against violence against women

These announcements come from the rapes in Mazan, where 51 men are accused of having raped a woman, Gisèle Pelicot, drugged by her husband.

A step forward in the fight against violence against women. The government announced, Monday, November 25, new measures on this topic, including one relating to chemical submission at the heart of the Gisèle Pelicot rape trial.

Speaking on the occasion of the international day against violence against women, Prime Minister Michel Barnier promised, during a visit to the Women's House at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, zero tolerance with regard to this violence and considered that it was necessary “go further”. Here are the four main measures announced by the head of government.

Chemical submission detection kits soon to be reimbursed by Health Insurance

Faced with the question “still little known about chemical submission”the head of government announced the reimbursement by Health Insurance of detection kits “in several departments”, on an experimental basis and according to a schedule yet to be defined.

An awareness campaign on chemical submission will at the same time be launched, at the initiative of the M'endors pas association, co-founded by the daughter of Gisèle Pelicot and the Crafs listening platform (Reference center on attacks facilitated by substances), in partnership with the Order of Pharmacists.

The generalization of filing complaints at hospitals

Another measure announced: the expansion of the system allowing women victims of violence to file a complaint in a hospital with an emergency or gynecological department.

The use of this system, in which the hospital contacts the police or the public prosecutor's office to file a complaint, is already possible in many French hospitals, but will be extended to 377 structures by the end of 2025 . It will be up to the establishment to contact the police station or the gendarmerie so that someone can come “to take the complaint”.

The establishment of a Women's Center in each department

“Each department will have a Women’s Center before the end of 2025, the budget provides the necessary credits”announced Michel Barnier. This system, already in place in several cities, is intended to welcome and care for women victims of violence.

Means devoted to emergency aid increased “by 7 million”

Implemented at the end of 2023, universal emergency aid, designed to help victims of domestic violence and support them when they leave their home, will see its budget increase from 13 to 20 million euros, according to the government. Since its launch, this aid, amounting to 800 euros on average, has benefited 33,000 people.