Every year, nearly 160.000 children in France suffer sexual violence, a worrying figure which highlights the need to treat this issue no longer as a series of individual experiences, but as a collective and public problem.
The government wants to raise awareness: the Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children (CIIVISE) submitted its report on November 20 but risks being closed even though the results are alarming. A paradox on which we can still act.
Created on January 23, 2021, the CIIVISE has collected nearly 27.000 testimonies from victims, highlighting the extent of this problem. The commission submitted its report on November 20, 2023, with the hope that its conclusions will encourage concrete actions. Because the figures are overwhelming, both in terms of their number and their seriousness. According to an INSERM survey, around 5,5 million women and men in France were victims of sexual violence during their childhood. This means that one in 10 adults is affected. In September 2023, the French government launched a vast campaign to raise public awareness of the extent of incest. At the same time, CIIVISE was on track to be closed at the end of 2023, raising concerns about the future of the fight against these crimes that are devastating to the health of child victims.
One in ten adults. Three children per class.
It is crucial to note that children with disabilities are even more vulnerable, with a 2,9 times higher risk of being victims of sexual violence. Children with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities are even more exposed, with a 4,6 times higher risk (WHO, 2012). This over-representation of disabled victims is reinforced by the silence surrounding these abuses. Statistics reveal an alarming picture of incest in France. Nine out of ten victims are women, highlighting the fact that women are disproportionately affected by this violence. In addition, eight out of ten victims are victims of incest, a heartbreaking reality that deeply affects the family structure.
Seven out of ten victims of incest have suffered this violence repeatedly, adding a considerable psychological burden to their initial trauma. For nearly one in three incest victims, the aggressor is the father, a revelation which highlights the need to break the incest taboo within families. These harrowing statistics make collective action imperative to protect children and end this silent tragedy.
What are the consequences for future adults?
The consequences of rape and sexual assault on children are profound and lasting, affecting their well-being and development throughout their lives. The need for immediate and effective action to protect children is undeniable. These attacks have multiple and profound psychological and physical consequences that can last a lifetime. All the testimonies received by the commission illustrate this.
How to take action?
The CIIVISE has developed a protection strategy based on four essential axes: the identification of child victims, the judicial treatment of sexual violence, the reparation and prevention of this abuse. After a year of work, she formulated twenty initial recommendations to better protect children, emphasizing the crucial role of public authorities and professionals. Without the support of nurses, doctors, social workers, magistrates, police officers and gendarmes in sufficient numbers, the chain of protection is broken. Training professionals and protecting their well-being are equally important aspects of this fight.
It is essential that all professionals, whatever their field, can identify child victims and help them get to safety, without confusion of roles. The judicial treatment of sexual violence, reparation through care and compensation, as well as the prevention of this abuse, must be at the heart of our collective response. This protection strategy is based on the action of public authorities and the commitment of all professionals. It is time to become aware of the extent of the incest problem in France, to break the silence that surrounds it, and to act to protect our children. The numbers are there, and it is imperative to make prevention and protection of victims a national priority.
Closing the CIIVISE: nonsense
After such work and such observations, closing the CIIVISE would have been an aberration and the government understood this well. The latter decided on December 11 to maintain the Ciivise, a commission responsible in particular for fighting incest, but to remove from it the one who chaired it until then, judge Edouard Durand, although acclaimed by the associations. It is now chaired by Sébastien Boueilh, ex-rugby player and founder of the association “Colosse aux pieds d’église”, which fights against sexual violence in the sporting environment.
However, resources and investments should be increased tenfold and extended to all territories of the country in a systematic manner to protect children and youth.
The protection of children does not wait. Let’s take care of them, let’s spot them. _FS
If you are or have been a victim, speak up:
0 800 100 811 from Overseas, free and anonymous.
www.temoignages.ciivise.fr
Local association France Victimes 978 Saint-Martin helping victims: 0690 37 84 01 francevictimes978@gmail.com
To view the Ciivise report: https://t.ly/qJL-F
Summary of the report:
https://t.ly/5DVVJ
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