Darmanin acknowledges the shortcomings of the justice system in cases of violence against children.

Gérald Darmanin has acknowledged the shortcomings of the French judicial system in handling violence against children. As his bill on criminal justice and respect for victims is being examined in the National Assembly, the Minister of Justice admitted that awareness within the criminal justice system remains insufficient. This statement comes amid tensions with magistrates, who accuse the Keeper of the Seals of having sought scapegoats to justify the system's dysfunctions.

New structures to support victims

The minister announced the upcoming creation of a department for victims and users within the Ministry of Justice during his hearing before the Senate's delegation for women's rights on February 19. He also mentioned the forthcoming establishment of a Code on Domestic Violence. Gérald Darmanin, however, lamented the lack of a genuine statistics department within his ministry, thus acknowledging the structural shortcomings of the administration in protecting women and children who are victims of violence.

The victims expressed their profound sense of abandonment in the face of the slow pace of the legal system. Several women shared their distress with the minister, emphasizing their isolation during the long years of waiting before their abusers were brought to trial. Members of Parliament questioned Gérald Darmanin about the high number of cases dismissed without further action and cited recent cases that illustrate the system's shortcomings in supporting and protecting complainants.