In Rennes, “every day 10 to 20 women victims of violence” call on AFSAD, a specialized association

November 25 is the International Day Against Violence Against Women. The opportunity to meet Maëlle Daniaud, the director of ASFAD, of a Rennes association which has been helping women since 1969.

Maëlle Daniaud who first underlines the importance of annual mobilizations to denounce violence against women. “It is always an important moment for the visibility of the social phenomenon of violence against women. But 25 years later, I would rather like to celebrate the eradication or at least a clear reduction in violence. And we see that the phenomenon does not diminish. And then alongside these mobilizations, we can highlight those of the thousands of professionals, volunteers who campaign and work on a daily basis to prevent, listen to, support women victims of violence in the territory.

The director of ASFAD recalls that unfortunately this scourge is not diminishing. “So on the 2023 figures, we calculated three women per day who were killed, who were forced to commit suicide or who were attempted to kill. The figure remains enormous. And here we are only talking about violence in the context of the couple, because all violence against women remains very significant, whether physical, sexual, psychological or economic.

Maëlle Daniaud explains that in Rennes, her association helps 236 people who were brought to safety in the context of violence, more than half of whom were housed in hotels. But there is also welcoming, listening, supporting victims, particularly through our day reception service within the Gisèle Halimi Women’s House. This place opened a year ago on the square of the South Hospital of Rennes, Blosne district.

“Today, we have 10 to 20 women who come to see us every day” recalls the director of ASFAD.

This Monday, the Prime Minister must announce the generalization of filing complaints at hospitals by the end of 2025. “It’s always a good thing when we come to facilitate the journey of women victims of violence” recognizes Maëlle Daniaud, but she is also concerned about a possible reduction in aid to associations in the Finance Bill.