Sous-Préfet Mickaël Dore (third left) poses with members of Association Trait d’Union France Victimes 978 and Gendarmes at the opening of a safe house for victims of domestic violence.
MARIGOT--The first apartment to act as a safe house for victims of domestic violence for Association Trait d’Union France Victimes 978 was opened on June 22 in the presence of Sous-Préfet and Secretary General of the Préfecture Mickaël Dore.
This association comes to the aid of victims of criminal or domestic violence and provides multi-disciplinary (legal, social and psychological) support for them. It is also an ad hoc administrator for minors who are victims of violence when the alleged perpetrator is a family member.
The safe house consists of two housing units, allowing two single women or women with children who are victims of violence from their spouse or ex-spouse to have a safe sanctuary. It will greatly improve the emergency shelter system for women who are victims of violence while they wait for a more permanent housing solution.
These two housing units received a 15,000-euro grant from Fondation de France to start the project and will be financed each year by the Préfecture via the Department of the Economy, Employment, Labour and Solidarity to the tune of 14,600 euros.
Three other housing units will soon complete the system. The total support will then be increased to 36,000 euros per year.
The inauguration was an opportunity for the Préfecture to reaffirm its commitment and unwavering determination to prevent and combat domestic violence, which has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 health crisis.
As of June 10, 2021, some 51 women had died in France since the beginning of the year as a result of violence from a spouse or ex-spouse.
