The two months of confinement in France led to an increase in domestic violence, which accounted for the bulk of police custody during this period (according to Le Monde's April 25, 2020 article "Violences conjugales : " Le confinement est devenu un instrument supplémentaire pour les agresseurs"). In Europe, there has even been a 60% increase in calls from female victims of domestic violence during confinement.
#So how do you react if you are a victim, witness or suspect domestic violence?
Conjugal violence is a deliberate attack on l l 'other's integrity, a hold, a conditioning from which it is difficult to escape when one is a victim. It is not only physical or sexual, but can also be psychological, and is the most frequent form of violence against women in France: every year, ten out of a hundred women aged between 20 and 59 are victims of violence by their partner. This is also the case for three out of every hundred men (according to a Monde article of April 10, 2015 "Hommes battus: des chiffres pour comprendre une réalité méconnue"). Yet fear, loss of self-confidence, denial or shame lead only one in five women victims of domestic violence to file a complaint.
#Who are the victims of domestic violence?
There's no such thing as a typical female victim of domestic violence, and any woman can find herself under the spell of a partner who often has two faces (charming in society and a torturer at home). It's worth noting that men can also fall victim to their partners. In all cases, the victim is never responsible for the violence he or she suffers.
#What should you do if you are a victim, witness or suspect domestic violence?
The first thing to do when accompanying a victim of domestic violence is to let her know that you understand what was happening and are ready to support her without judgment.
Reassure and value the victim, and use the technique of rephrasing, i.e. rephrasing all or part of what she says to show that we are listening attentively and trying to understand what she is telling us, without questioning her words at any point.
Avoid asking too direct questions, recounting personal experiences or letting her know how you see things. It's also very important to respect her choices if she doesn't want more concrete help, even if you don't understand them.
