Abuse against women: 116 women killed by their partners in France

Thousands of people rallied to stop gender-based violence and femicides in France. They rallied on Saturday 23.

Approximately, 116 women have died at the hands of their partners in the past year.

The protests came amid the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The protesters held a long march starting from the direction of the opera house with people carrying banners and placards, generally in purple.

France saw around 30 processions held throughout the country. It saw 70 groups, political parties, and trade unions involved in the effort to draw attention to a rising crisis.

But on Monday activists criticized as insufficient the new French government measures to fight this plague.

They say efforts to fight one of Europe’s highest rates of so-called femicides, or the killing of women by their partners is insufficient.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Monday said millions of dollars in measures to protect women from spousal killings will be made available.

They include beefing up shelters and the national hotline for victims, electronic bracelets and firearms seizures targeting abusers, educational programs and stiffer penalties for those convicted.

The government hopes its 40 steps will help end the symptoms that claimed many lives.

Based on an AFP investigation, 116 women were killed in France, carried out by a husband, lover, or ex-spouse.

The investigation also noted the factors that led to violence against the victims.

Activists hope the government can investigate these cases and make sure it that it does not happen again.

Hundreds of women killed in a year is not a small affair.

In Spain however, the far-right Vox party has refused to sign an all-party declaration condemning violence against women.

Vox’s refusal to sign is the first time political parties disagree on a landmark 2004 law on gender violence.