This country profile presents the administrative data collected in France during the 2023–2024 data collection exercise with the support of national data providers and national researchers.
The list of 13 indicators developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the purposes of this data collection exercise is presented in Annex 1.
The data collected in other countries and the methodological report are published in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database.
Key findings of EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise
The figure below outlines the main findings from EIGE’s most recent administrative data collection exercise on intimate partner violence and domestic violence in France.
FIGURE 1Main findings
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Victims of intimate partner violence and domestic violence
- 85 % of victims of intimate partner violence are women (based on 2021 data)
- 78 % of victims of domestic violence are women (based on 2021 data)
- Physical violence is the most common form of intimate partner violence and domestic violence recorded by police on an annual basis.
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Femicide
- In 2022, 118 women victims of intimate partner homicide were recorded by police.
- In the same year, 81 % of victims killed by intimate partners were women (118 out of 145).
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Rape
- In 2021, police recorded 19,028 women victims of rape committed by any perpetrator. During the year, women represented 93 % of victims of rape (19,028 out of 20,467).
- In 2021, women comprised an even larger share (98 %) of victims of intimate partner rape (6,558 out of 6,670).
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Protecting victims of domestic violence
- In 2022, 5,720 applications for protection orders were filed for victims of domestic violence (including both women and men victims).
- In the same year, 3,615 protection orders were granted to domestic violence victims.
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Perpetrators reported and convicted for violence
- In 2021, 192,784 men were reported for intimate partner violence, and 248,364 men were reported for domestic violence (which includes intimate partner violence).
- Far fewer men were convicted in the same year and in 2022.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence and domestic violence
EIGE’s police indicators mainly collect data on victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence and violence in ‘any relationship’. EIGE defines a victim as ‘a natural person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss which was directly caused by a criminal offence’.
Findings from EIGE’s latest data collection exercise show that intimate partner violence and domestic violence have the greatest impact on women. Women in France comprise 85 % of intimate partner violence victims and 78 % of domestic violence victims recorded by police (based on data from 2021).
At the same time, women are less represented among victims of violence in a broader context. In 2021, 48 % of victims of violence in ‘any relationship’ recorded by police were women.
Figure 2 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, and violence in any relationship (Indicator 1), 2021
Intimate partner violence
EIGE defines intimate partner violence as ‘any act of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occurs between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim’.
In France, no legal definition of intimate partner violence exists. However, Article 132-80 of the Penal Code establishes that violence between intimate partners is an aggravating circumstance that increases the penalties for a crime, an offence, or a contravention of law.
Victims of intimate partner violence
In France, women represent most victims of intimate partner violence recorded by police (85 % in 2021). In 2021, police recorded 163,902 women victims of violence committed by an intimate partner.
Figure 3 Annual number of female and total victims of intimate partner violence (Indicator 1), 2016-2021
Between 2016 and 2021, the annual number of women victims of intimate partner violence recorded by police increased. However, this increase may be attributed to various factors, such as improvements in data collection systems and processes for identifying victims. Moreover, some victims that were recorded by police in later years may have reported incidents of violence that occurred in earlier years (e.g., in response to new awareness raising campaigns or improved access to support services).
EIGE’s research shows that intimate partner violence remains a significant issue for women in France. This finding is substantiated by the results of the EU survey on gender-based violence (EU-GBV survey) which show that 30 % of ever-partnered women in France have experienced psychological, physical (including threats), or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Victims of specific forms of intimate partner violence
During EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in France shared data on the annual number of victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic intimate partner violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-7).
Figure 4 Annual number of female and total victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic intimate partner violence (Indicators 4-7), 2016-2021
Domestic violence
EIGE defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit, irrespective of biological or legal family ties, or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence as the victim’.
In France, no legal definition of domestic violence exists. However, Law n° 2010-769 addresses violence against women, violence between spouses, and the effects of such violence on children. Law n° 2020-936 also introduced measures to better protect victims of domestic violence, including the use of distancing bracelets and exceptions to medical confidentiality.
Victims of domestic violence
According to the latest data, women represent most domestic violence victims in France (78 %). In 2021, 204,427 women victims of domestic violence were recorded by police. It should be noted that the data below on victims of domestic violence includes victims of intimate partner violence.
Figure 5 Annual number of female and total victims of domestic violence (Indicator 1), 2016-2021
Between 2016 and 2021, the annual number of domestic violence victims recorded by police has increased. However, as with the data on victims of intimate partner violence, fluctuations between years can be attributed to various social and institutional factors and do not necessarily imply that violence has worsened in the country over time.
The police data recorded in France sheds light on the extent to which women suffer from domestic violence. Findings of the EU-GBV survey also show that 19 % of women in France have experienced physical violence (including threats) or sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator during adulthood.
Victims of specific forms of domestic violence
As part of EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in France shared data on the annual number of victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic domestic violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-7).
Figure 6 Annual number of female and total victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic domestic violence (Indicators 4-7), 2016-2021
Femicide: Number of women killed
EIGE defines femicide as ‘killing of women and girls because of their gender’. It is the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence. EIGE’s femicide classification framework distinguishes between killings committed by intimate partners and family members and other forms of femicide, which are less common.
There is no legal definition of femicide in France. However, data is available on women victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and any homicide.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner homicide and domestic homicide
In 2022, women represented 81 % of victims of intimate partner homicide (118 out of 145). In 2021, women also comprised 66 % of victims of domestic homicide (149 out of 227).
Conversely, in 2021, women represented only 31 % of homicide victims killed by any perpetrator (259 out of 841).
Figure 7 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner homicide (in 2022), domestic homicide (in 2021) and homicide in any relationship (in 2021), Indicator 9
Number of women victims of homicide
In 2022, 118 women victims of intimate partner homicide were recorded by police. In the previous year, police recorded 149 women victims of domestic homicide, and 259 women victims of homicide by any perpetrator.
Figure 8 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2014-2022
Most femicide victims experience non-lethal forms of gender-based violence before they are killed. Femicide often represents the culmination of a pattern of abuse.
According to the EU-GBV survey, women victims of intimate partner violence experience significant consequences to their mental and physical wellbeing. However, only 1 in 4 victims of intimate partner violence in France report to police. For these reasons, authorities should raise awareness on the ‘warning sings’ of femicide and enhance access to support services for victims.
Rape: Number of women victims
EIGE defines rape as ‘sexual penetration, whether vaginal, anal or oral, through the use of object or body parts, without consent, using force, coercion or by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the victim’.
In France, rape is criminalised under Article 222-23 of the Penal code and is defined as ‘any act of sexual penetration, whatever its nature, committed against another person by violence, constraint, threat or surprise’.
Women are the main victims that suffer from rape
In 2021, 6,558 women victims of intimate partner rape were recorded by police. Women represented almost all (98 %) of intimate partner rape victims during the year.
Similarly, in 2021, women comprised 97 % of victims of rape by a domestic perpetrator (7,173 out of 7,397) and 93 % of victims of rape by any perpetrator (19,028 out of 20,467).
Figure 9 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner rape, domestic rape, and rape in any relationship (Indicator 8), 2021
Number of women victims of rape
In 2021, 19,028 women victims of rape were recorded by police. In the same year, the police recorded 7,173 women victims of domestic rape and 6,558 women victims of intimate partner rape.
In 2021, the police recorded even higher numbers of victims of sexual violence committed by intimate partners (see the section ‘Victims of specific forms of intimate partner violence’) and domestic perpetrators (see the section ‘Victims of specific forms of domestic violence’). This is because sexual violence encompasses a wider range of offences, including rape and sexual assault.
Figure 10 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner rape, domestic rape, and rape in any relationship (Indicator 8), 2016-2021
Protecting victims of domestic violence
A protection order, in the context of violence against women, is defined as ‘a legal injunction that requires an offender to refrain from doing certain acts and to stay away from the victim’. Protection orders can be adopted under criminal or civil laws. They are fast legal remedies to protect people at risk of any form of violence by prohibiting or restraining certain behaviour by the perpetrators.
In 2022, 5,720 protection order applications were filed for victims of domestic violence (including both male and female victims). Justice sector data also show that 3,615 protection orders were granted to victims of domestic violence in 2022.
Figure 11 Annual number of protection orders (applied and granted) for total victims of domestic violence (Indicator 10), 2014-2022
The annual number of protection orders filed and granted for victims of domestic violence increased notably between the years 2019 and 2020. The increase may be due, in part, to the impacts of lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perpetrators of intimate partner and domestic violence
Perpetrators are defined as ‘persons brought into formal contact with the police and suspected/arrested or cautioned for a criminal offence’.
Most of EIGE’s indicators collect data on all perpetrators (including male and female perpetrators). However, the data for indicators 3 and 11–13 (on perpetrators reported, prosecuted, sentenced and held in prison) refers strictly to male perpetrators.
Perpetrators of intimate partner violence
In 2021, 192,784 men were reported to police for intimate partner violence against total victims.
Figure 12 Annual number of male perpetrators reported for intimate partner violence against total victims (Indicator 3), 2016-2021
In 2022, data from the justice sector shows that fewer men were prosecuted (51,263), sentenced (36,434) and held in prison (10,590) for intimate partner violence. It should be noted that these figures do not refer to the same perpetrators (i.e., not a cohort).
Figure 13 Annual number of male perpetrators prosecuted, sentenced, and held in prison for intimate partner violence against total victims (Indicators 11-13), 2014-2022
Perpetrators of domestic violence
In 2021, 248,364 men were reported to police for domestic violence against total victims.
Figure 14 Annual number of male perpetrators reported for domestic violence against total victims (Indicator 3), 2016-2021
In 2022, data from the justice sector shows that fewer men were prosecuted (56,998), sentenced (39,128) and held in prison (13,375) for domestic violence. It should be noted that these figures do not refer to the same perpetrators (i.e., not a cohort).
Figure 15 Annual number of male perpetrators prosecuted, sentenced, and held in prison for domestic violence against total victims (Indicators 11-13), 2014-2022
Summary of data availability and next steps
Findings from EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise in France underscore the persistent threat of domestic violence to the safety and well-being of women and girls.
The collection of robust administrative data on intimate partner violence and domestic violence is essential to ensure effective policymaking, resource allocation, and the development of targeted interventions to support victims and prevent further violence.
EIGE’s research shows that, in France, police data is widely available on victims, offences and perpetrators of intimate partner violence and domestic violence. EIGE also managed to retrieve data on victims of specific forms of violence, including physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.
Although a legal definition of femicide does not exist in France, data is available on the annual number of female and total victims of homicide committed by intimate partners, domestic perpetrators, and any perpetrator.
Similarly, data has been shared on the annual number of female and total victims of rape by intimate partners, domestic perpetrators, and any perpetrator.
Justice sector data is more limited in France. Data is available on protection orders (applied and granted) to total victims of domestic violence, but not for female victims. Moreover, no data has been shared on protection orders (applied or granted) for victims of intimate partner violence.
While data providers in France have shared data on male perpetrators reported, prosecuted, sentenced, and held in prison for intimate partner violence and domestic violence against total victims, data is not available on perpetrators against women specifically. This makes it challenging to explore the extent to which men are brought to justice for violence against women.
In May 2024, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Article 44 establishes that Member States must work with EIGE to collect administrative data on these forms of violence and must adhere to common standards. EIGE remains committed to supporting Member States in their efforts to collect comprehensive, reliable data on violence against women and domestic violence.
Further details on the data collected during EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise are available in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database and on its website.
Annexes
Annex 1: List of EIGE’s 13 indicators on intimate partner violence and domestic violence