2023-09-02 13:18:00
Four years after the launch of the Grenelle of domestic violence, victim support associations are sounding the alarm about their “bloodless” finances due to the increase in the number of women to be helped.
“The largest association for the defense of victims of violence against women in Val d’Oise, Du Côté des femmes, is in receivership.
This association has closed its reception 24/24 and the court could announce its liquidation by the end of September while it accompanies 2,000 women”, testifies Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Women’s Foundation, which finances associations specializing in womens rights.
In Essonne, Léa Solidarité Femmes had to lay off six of its 19 employees in August and is in the process of closing 65 of its 141 accommodation places for lack of funding, even though these places were occupied and it has a waiting list. , alerts its deputy director Sophie Cartron to AFP.
While Sunday will mark the 4th anniversary of the launch of the Grenelle des Violences conjugales, the Women’s Foundation argues that the support needs of women victims of violence have exploded but the budgets, if they have increased, have not kept pace. same pace, leaving the “exsanguinated” associations in great financial difficulty.
“Women are speaking out and this is good news. Thanks to unprecedented political and social mobilization, the facts denounced to the police have increased by 82% since 2016”, notes the association in a press release. Field associations are facing a “considerable increase” in requests from women to welcome, guide and support.
However, the Women’s Foundation has calculated that, since the Grenelle, “the budget spent by the State for each woman victim of accompanied violence has fallen by more than 25%.
If the state budget has increased since 2019, it has not kept up with the explosion of requests for support”.
Questioned by AFP, the Ministry of Equality between women and men did not wish to react.
charge administrative
“The State, the prefectures continue to send victims to associations to help, the devices are full, but the means do not follow. Associations are obliged to close or reduce their action”, explains Ms. Mailfert.
More and more serious danger telephones are attributed by the prosecutor’s office to women in mortal danger.
“With the ramp-up of the system, associations would need additional financial support to provide sustained support: legal, psychological support, phone calls to reassure them, search for accommodation”, notes Françoise Brié, president of the National Federation. Solidarité Femmes (FNSF), association which manages the telephone number 3919.
The associations underline the administrative burden which weighs on small associations to obtain subsidies.
“Some associations that receive a lot of women are forced to apply for several dozen grants: to the State, to town halls, departments, intermunicipalities, to private funding, foundations, other State services. It would be preferable that 80% of their funding comes from the ministry responsible for equality between men and women,” said Ms. Brié.
To attract foundations, they often have to present new projects, whereas they need long-term funding to support women over the long term.
Small associations must multiply grant applications per project, while we are on a public service delegation”, underlines Anne-Cécile Mailfert, who wishes that they can count on reliable funding.
“We sign leases to provide security for women and their children. We cannot sign them for one year, subject to having the funding the following year”, explains Sophie Cartron.
“The employees of the associations are very tense: they receive very low salaries, they face very serious problems and they feel that they do not have the means to cope. This creates discomfort at work”, notes Ms. Mailfert , which hopes “to collect one million euros by the end of the year to relieve the associations most in difficulty”.
02/09/2023 13:16:50 – Paris (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
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