122 female victims since the beginning of 2024. The icy wind coming from the east did not discourage the demonstrators from National day of protest against violence against women. Saturday November 23, the procession left the sub-prefecture of Compiègneto city hall, symbolically passing in front of the court.
There were around a hundred of them at the Compiègne demonstration. On that day, there were four hundred such events nationwide. Purple paper roses symbolized these victims. The trial of the rapes of which Gisèle Pelicot was a victim, placed in artificial sleep at the instigation of her husband, handing her over to more than fifty men described as “Mr. Everyman”, reinforces this desire to fight against a long-ignored state of affairs.
“We denounce a culture of rape that is deeply rooted in society,” explains one of the participants. The recent revelations on the practices of Abbé Pierre, which are, to say the least, disturbing, further support the slogans chanted in the ranks.
“Strengthen hope that things will change”
“I said to myself, “we have to go despite the cold”, this time I was really motivated,” confides Marina, who describes herself as a “non-militant feminist”. Things are not getting better and the news proves it. And even if I doubt the effectiveness of these demonstrations, their holding reinforces the hope that this will change. Things are starting to move. Laws exist regarding violence against women but they still need to be applied. Today, the reception of women victims of assault or rape has improved, particularly in the police services. Now women are taken seriously.”
Place de la ville hall of Compiègne, between the Christmas market and the Saturday food market, the procession stopped. Time for a few speeches, by representatives of the CGT, the FSU union and Family Planning.
Before the end of this demonstration closed by the slogan. “Let fear change sides, let shame change sides.” Some of the participants left for the capital where a united demonstration took place at the beginning of the afternoon.
