The reception center for women victims of violence and their children, open day and night for a year in Nantes, is today "
essential
", declared Friday, November 20 the stakeholders, who welcomed more than 1,250 women. since November 2019.
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"
It's so difficult in reality for a woman to take the step of leaving (...) that the fact of telling herself that at any time the structure is open, it is more than an ease of service, it is an additional point of support
”, estimated the socialist mayor of the city, Johanna Rolland, during a press conference dedicated to this place baptized“
Citad'elles
”.
In addition to being permanently open, this center has the particularity of allowing legal, medical and social services procedures to be carried out in the same place in a building in the city center secured by armored doors.
It is suitable for receiving children of all ages with their mother.
"
Having this space, in a unique, secure and protected place, open 24 hours a day and which continues to be open during confinement, is really something essential for women victims of violence
", underlined Camille Dormegnies, director of the France Victimes 44 Nantes association which contributes to the project.
In one year, more than 1,250 women of all ages and all social categories were welcomed on site, with an average of 80 arrivals per week.
“
We have more than 1,300 calls on average per month,
” also noted Valérie Alassaunière, director of Citad'elles, explaining that during periods of confinement, “
we have women who really come into dramatic situations and who have experienced quite incredible physical violence
”.
"
Confinement, which unfortunately has impacts on all fellow citizens, is necessarily accentuated with regard to women victims of violence, and the severity of violence is greater than in normal times
," she noted.
In 2019, 146 women were killed in France by their partner or ex-partner, 25 more than the previous year, according to official figures.
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