Social. On the occasion of the international day for the elimination of violence against women, it was a time of rich exchanges organized by the State services at the Langres gendarmerie company in the presence of the actors intervening with victims.
Invited by Régine Pam, prefect of Haute-Marne and Denis Devallois, public prosecutor, the structures from Saint-Dizier, Chaumont and even Langres were present for this exchange which made it possible to take stock of the situation in the department and on the actions implemented. Speaking first, the public prosecutor underlined “the strong mobilization on the ground of law enforcement, communities but also associations which provide support to victims throughout the procedures”.
Denis Devallois then insisted on the fact that in Haute-Marne, “systematic prosecutions are being initiated and we are in the process of judicializing all cases that are brought to our attention”. This desire for a systematic response is part, as the prosecutor recalled, of an approach to go ever further in the fight against intra-family violence. In this, he underlined the importance of the work of ISG (social workers in gendarmerie) and ISC (social workers in police stations).
For her part, Régine Pam highlighted the need to meet the actors present on the ground for this time of discussion. The prefect of Haute-Marne indicated that in 2023, no less than 850 facts had been noted, a figure similar to that of 2022 even though numerous awareness-raising actions are being carried out in the departmental territory. The State representative insisted in concluding her remarks on the fact that “the victims will be heard and supported. Whether for sexual or gender-based violence.”
Very involved associations and efficient networking
Then giving the floor to the different structures or communities present for this time of discussion, the prefect was then able to hear from the mouths of the social actors themselves the reality they are faced with. This is how the ISG or ISC have highlighted the plurality of profiles and situations that present themselves to them. If the share of female victims remains very largely in the majority, several speakers indicated that men were also among the victims of intra-family violence, just like children.
In this regard, the public prosecutor insisted that one of the objectives to be pursued was to “strengthen care for the entire family unit”. Likewise, Denis Devallois explained the desire to respond and process this type of procedure as quickly as possible, “which represents 45% of removals, the equivalent of one author every three days”. At the gendarmerie level, domestic violence represents 42% of police custody in 2023, or 203 cases at the departmental level.
Taking turns to speak, the associations, such as the Phill (Accommodation and integration program through Langres housing) or SOS femmes accueil, indicated that the work accomplished thanks to good collaboration between all parties will only be possible if funding remains available. A nerve of the economic war which was at the heart of part of the exchanges even though the objective, as Régine Pam underlined at the end of the meeting, is to “reduce the figures but also to make it understood that this type of violence concerns or affects Haut-Marne”.
Residents who, as was recalled during this meeting, can be whistleblowers and thus help the structures that work with victims of violence. The support is continuous throughout the process of revealing the violence and then being taken into account by the police and the justice system.
Pierre Gaudiot
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