Domestic violence during confinement: calls to 119 almost doubled

Calls to 119, the emergency number for children in danger, jumped 89% last week after more than a month of confinement due to the epidemic of coronavirus, said Wednesday April 22 Adrien Taquet.

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"+ 89% is the increase in the number of calls to 119 last week , " said the Secretary of State for Child Protection during the questions of the government in the Senate. “This does not surprise us, it is a sign of the increase in violence during this period of confinement. But I also want to see there the sign, the barometer of our increased vigilance " in matters of violence against children, commented Adrien Taquet.

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Thus, calls made by neighbors increased in one week by 84% and calls made "by comrades for comrades" doubled, + 100%, he detailed. On average, 119, an invisible number on telephone records, receives some 700 calls per day.

All departments entered

Since the beginning of April, to respond to the risks of domestic violence caused by confinement, the telephone line has been doubled with an internet reporting service: allo119.gouv.fr

This device, intended for victims who cannot isolate themselves to call for help, collects more than 200 referrals every week, said Adrien Taquet. Wishing that "all these calls do not go unanswered" , he said he "seized all the departments" so that they ensure the continuity of their mission and reinforce the staff of the cells for the collection of worrying information (Crip, recipients reports and call records) so that social workers can investigate families where children are at risk.

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It is estimated that a child dies every five days as a result of domestic violence and some 52,000 minors suffer violence, ill-treatment or abandonment each year.

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