Several scientific studies, reported by the NGO Care France, establish a link between periods of extreme heat and an increase in domestic violence, gender-based assaults, and femicides. Public authorities remain significantly behind on this issue.
Extreme heat doesn't just affect bodies. It also exacerbates violence against women. This is what several scientific studies cited by the NGO Care France show, documenting a correlation between heat waves and the resurgence of domestic violence, sexist attacks, and femicides.
Adéa Guillot, Director of Engagement at Care France, points to a major institutional gap: "The authorities are completely unaware of domestic violence caused by climate change." This link between climate disruption and gender-based violence remains poorly integrated into French public policies, even as France experiences its third heatwave in two months, with 24 departments placed on red alert for extreme heat.
The combination of factors specific to heat waves—forced overcrowding, heat stress, and isolation—creates conditions that encourage suicide. Experts have been warning for several years about this gendered dimension of climate crises, yet protection measures for victims have not been adapted accordingly.
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