“We no longer want to count the dead”: thousands of people, many of whom wore a touch of purple, the color of feminism, demonstrated on Saturday November 25 in Paris and in major cities against violence against women. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, demonstrators are calling on the government for additional means to eradicate this violence.

Feminist associations and unions have launched the call throughout France for better protection of women victims of violence, in the workplace, as a couple, in armed conflicts, etc. “Our support goes to all women in the world, the first victims, along with children, of armed conflicts. We particularly show our support for the women of Ukraine, Burma, Palestine, Israel and Nagorno-Karabakh,” states the call to march distributed by the Feminist Strike organization and signed by numerous collectives and unions.

Alongside the collectives of associations led by

“Reforms at the margins are not enough”

On the occasion of this day of mobilization, Emmanuel Macron also spoke in a message posted on social networks. The “persistence of violence against women is not inevitable”, “we must put an end to it and we will do it”. The President of the Republic has defended his action in this area since 2017, listing actions put in place: expansion of 39/19 hours, digital support platform, facilitation of filing a complaint, deployment of “Serious Danger Telephones”. and “anti-reconciliation bracelets.” He welcomed efforts “which have borne fruit”, but, for feminist associations, unions and left-wing figures, we are far from the mark.

“Reforms at the margins are not enough,” declared Saturday during a press briefing Maëlle Noir, from the national coordination of the collective

The same figure was put forward by Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT, who spoke on behalf of the inter-union alongside Marylise Léon, head of the CFDT, before the start of the demonstration. On TF1, the “rebellious” MP Clémentine Autain estimated that it would take “between 2 and 3 billion” euros, “the equivalent of the wealth tax that Emmanuel Macron abolished”.

More than 120 feminicides listed by associations

In 2022, 118 femicides were recorded, four fewer than in 2021, according to official figures. Over the first eleven months of 2023, feminist associations have recorded 121 femicides. “We no longer want to count our dead,” responded Maëlle Noir. We don’t want to have to protest anymore. »

Marches took place in several cities in France: several hundred people participated in Lyon and Strasbourg, and around 200 in Lille. There were many women and men showed their support. Everywhere, the color purple dominated the processions.

On the signs: “Protect your daughters, educate your sons”, “Giving in is not consent”, “In France, a rape every 6 minutes”, “We are not born a woman but we die”, “Dancing without be on drugs” or “When I go out, I want to be free, not brave”.

In Nantes, women gathered around a (fake) coffin painted red, with a slot, into which they slipped posters printed with the word “Feminicide”, listing the names of women killed by a man .

Prevention and support for victims

Among the demands put forward by the organizers, the prevention of violence through “sexual and emotional education at school” and “the fight against the culture of rape propagated by the pornography industry”.

On the professional level, they demand sanctions against companies which have not put in place plans for the prevention of sexist and sexual violence and “support for victims at work”, in particular by granting days of leave for carry out procedures. They also demand the creation of 15,000 accommodation places for women fleeing their violent spouses.