A plan has just been submitted to the Minister of Justice to fight against domestic violence. Philippe Duport reviews the various measures currently implemented in the context of violence of this type.
A plan was submitted on May 22 to the Keeper of the Seals, Eric Dupont-Moretti, who announced a series of measures to combat domestic violence. But what are the measures that apply today?
franceinfo: And first of all, domestic violence, intra-family violence, is it the same thing?
Philippe Duport: No, not quite. Domestic violence is violence perpetrated by a spouse or partner. There must be an imbalance, repetitions, no return to normal possible. Intra-family violence extends to children, ascendants, all family members, including parents-in-law, uncles and aunts, and cousins. This includes the violence that a son could exercise against his mother, for example.
What forms can this violence take?
It can be psychological violence, humiliation, isolation, breaking of objects, blows, burns or bites. There can also be economic violence: the fact of depriving his spouse of his bank card, for example. And of course sexual violence. Marital rape does exist, recalls Janine Bonaggiunta, lawyer specializing in these issues and author of And that’s allpublished by Kiwi.
How to distance the author from the facts?
You have to file a complaint. The complaint cannot not be taken, it is an obligation for the gendarmes or the police. They will send you to a medico-judicial unit to assess your ITT, your total incapacity for work. The judge may order that an anti-reconciliation bracelet be fitted. The distance cannot be less than one kilometer nor more than 10 kilometers. A pre-alert distance is provided, equal to twice the chosen distance.
There is also a telephone system?
Yes, the ‘great danger’ phone. It is used when the perpetrator is on the run, or has not been arrested. It is connected to a platform which alerts the police. There are also several numbers to know: 3919, dedicated to domestic violence, open 24 hours a day, and 114 to send an SMS when you cannot speak. For victim assistance, there is also 116 006, and for children in danger, 119.