In a November 2025 report, the UN estimated that one woman or girl is a victim of intimate partner violence (IPV) every 10 minutes. Femicide, defined as the killing of a woman or girl because of her gender, is often perpetrated by a spouse or partner and remains a concern even in a socially progressive nation like France. Recently, these numbers have only been on the rise: in 2024, 107 women were killed by a spouse or ex-spouse, an 11 per cent increase from 2023. Further, nearly half of femicide victims had previously filed police reports alleging domestic violence. Most of these reports received no response from an officer. These numbers and responses are alarming, indicating that domestic violence is an under-perceived yet deadly threat to French women in relationships, and current legal protections come up short.

On August 9, 2025, Tatiana Mevel became the 55th French woman since the start of the year to become a victim of an ex-partner. In the weeks before her death, Mevel had filed complaints twice with her local police stations. On July 18, 2025, 17 days after her breakup with her partner, she went to the station to detail how he would show up at her home and send her threatening texts. On August 2, 2025, she filed a second claim, alleging that her ex had damaged her vehicle, which was dismissed by the police as a misdemeanour. On the evening of August 8, 2025, her former partner showed up at her apartment and murdered Mevel in the early hours of the morning in front of her two teenage daughters. Authorities subsequently arrived and fatally shot Mevel’s ex. Although her ex-partner’s texts and the damaged vehicle—as well as neighbour testimony that Mevel lived in constant fear of her ex-partner—should have raised red flags, authorities failed to respond until it was too late. As Mevel had not previously reported direct acts of physical violence against herself or her daughters, her claims were disregarded by local authorities.

Regrettably, the Mevel case is only one of several over the past decade. In 2016, Marie-Jose Povoa called the police after a violent encounter with her drunk husband. Though the police came, they dismissed her claim of domestic violence based on her lack of visible marks or bruises, leaving her alone with her still drunk husband. Povoa reported this incident on a Facebook group immediately after, and the next day was found dead by Emergency Medical Services. Though her husband was condemned to 15 years in prison in June 2022, he was freed in September after appealing the decision. 13 years prior, the death of actress Marie Trintignant at the hands of her boyfriend, singer Bertrand Cantat, shocked France. During the filming of Colette (2004) in Lithuania, Trintignant was assaulted by Cantat. She fell and hit her head, entered a coma, and was pronounced dead four days later. Cantat claimed her death had been an accident during an argument, and though he was condemned to eight years in prison for homicide, he was released on parole after just four years. Both of these cases demonstrate the longstanding and ongoing scourge of femicide. Though in the second case there had been no prior domestic violence complaints, in both situations the killer was released— whether on bail or to full freedom—showcasing that the threat the men posed was not taken as seriously as it should have been. 

“Protests by the Collectif Feministes Revolutionnaires, Paris 2017” by Julie Missbutterflies is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The frequency of femicide and the French legal system’s failures to properly redress it create a web of psychological and physical damage that women are constantly shouldered with. The first significant issue is the various pitfalls of the justice system, in particular when it comes to sexual and domestic abuse: in 2019, 80 per cent of domestic violence cases were classified without further action. Second, abusers can exert significant social control over their partners’ emotions, bodies, and private lives, especially if children become involved. It is often difficult to effectively cut ties with a violent intimate partner without uprooting one’s life, a choice that is not always accessible to women, particularly because of financial limitations. Lastly, abuse victims are not always heard and believed—often, having an influential partner or even just one well-regarded in the local community can unjustifiably take credit away from women’s stories. Together, these components create an environment in which it is often difficult for a woman to walk away from an abuser, increasing the likelihood of femicide, and when murder does occur, the justice system often fails to administer proper justice. These factors enable a feeling of impunity in perpetrators, often precipitating further violence.

“French demonstration in Paris for women’s rights” by Jeanne Menjoulet is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

What needs to change? In France, feminist organizations are advocating for the judicial system and the police to take on a bigger role in combating femicide, demanding that they stop dismissing domestic violence reports and provide real protection from abusers. Groups like the collective #NousToutes and the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes (FNSF) organize community efforts around the country to support women facing domestic violence or threats to their lives from intimate partners. The organization’s focus on prevention, offering alternative ways for women to seek help and accompaniment during legal action against a current or former partner. They also provide relocation and safety assistance services to fill gaps in protection left by the French state. Other organizations focus on the fallout of femicide, advocating for abusers to be forced to sign up for counselling services and face increased legal accountability. The collective Femicide Par Compagnons ou Ex argues that leaving abusers and murderers behind bars for extended periods of time is not an effective means of addressing the issue, as it does not truly reform these perpetrators or ensure that they will not be repeat perpetrators. Beyond rehabilitation, these organizations also focus on preventing the displacement of women and their children when attackers are released.

A transformation on a societal level is necessary to create an environment where women do not have to live under the constant threat of intimate partner violence and femicide. This starts with the justice system: abuse and threats should be taken for what they are—a danger to the woman’s life—and dealt with accordingly. Although there are organizations that support women in these situations, regrettably, these organizations are frequently tasked with overcoming the structural inequalities women face to even approach the same level of respect and resources afforded to men. Beyond this, change starts with the individual. It is important to educate oneself on violence against women—how to deal with it, assist victims of violence, and prevent it within one’s community.

Edited by Liam Murphy.

Featured Image: “Un féminicide toutes les 48 heures en France” by Lewisiscrazy is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.