Femicide surge in France: 74 women killed by their partners in the first half of 2019.

(Patria) – Members of NGOs and relatives of women killed by their partners joined protests in Paris on Saturday, demanding the government take more decisive action to protect women from femicide.

At least 74 French women were killed by their partners or ex-partners in the first half of this year alone, which is more than in the same period last year, according to statistics from the French NGO Femicides par compagnons ou ex (Femicide by partners or exes).

One of the representatives of this NGO claims that the unfortunate outcome last year was 120 murders, and that one woman is killed every two days. In the past week alone, 4 women were killed by their partners.

She also cited some specific cases such as Christelle (32), a mother of four who was fatally stabbed by her partner in her home on Friday. Just a day earlier, Isabelle (37), a mother of three, was intentionally run over by her partner with a car, and Leila (20) was beaten to death by her partner on Wednesday while three months pregnant.

NGOs like Femicides par compagnons ou ex are demanding greater systemic protection for women at the national level.

“Investigations should follow domestic violence immediately, as is the case with acts of burglary and robbery,” insist the representatives of this NGO. They state that some of the women who lost their lives this year had previously contacted the police but were not taken seriously.

Activists also demand treatment and rehabilitation for violent men from the French authorities, as well as their separation from their partners and children, instead of transferring women and children to safe houses which are often full and unable to meet the needs.

“These women go from one hell to another while their violent partners remain at home and continue to abuse them through their children because in most cases they retain parental rights,” claim the activists.

They cite the example of Spain, which has managed to reduce the number of femicides thanks to measures that, they say, France is not ready to implement.

French Minister for Equality Marlene Schiappa issued a statement on Friday stating, among other things, that it is “unacceptable that in 2019, in France, women are killed by their spouses,” and that the government has called for increased use of protection orders and has approved the use of electronic bracelets to monitor violent spouses.

“We must take calls for help seriously,” Schiappa said, writes the Euronews portal.