LAn independent commission on incest and sexual violence against children (Ciivise) was established in 2021, following a wave of testimonies from incest victims on social media and in the media sparked by Camille Kouchner’s book « La Familia grande » (Seuil, 2021). Since then, Ciivise has been working on multiple levels with the sole objective of putting an end to violence against children.
However, it is now on the verge of disappearing. Has incest been eradicated? The magnitude of the phenomenon is such that two years of action are obviously not enough.
Therefore, collectively, we, the professionals in child protection, gender equality, and the fight against sexist and sexual violence against women, as well as professionals in education and sexual and reproductive health, request that Ciivise be able to continue its essential work for all our organizations.
Echec scolaire, discriminations et violences sexistes
Our professions, our tasks, our commitments are diverse: we operate in the public, private, associative, or healthcare sectors. However, we are all affected by the same scourge, the sexual violence suffered by children.
Because these acts of violence are not solely related to the personal and private sphere. Certainly, their consequences are primarily individual: they are traumatizing for the victims and their loved ones, and have a lasting impact on their physical and mental health. However, because they are based on strategies of humiliation and domination, these acts of violence can also damage and compromise our relationships with others, establishing oppression at the core of human interactions and ultimately impacting us collectively.
While they may not explain everything, these sexual violence incidents can contribute to tensions in schools, academic failure, discrimination, and sexist, sexual, and LGBTphobic violence in middle school and high school, as well as on the streets, at work, within relationships, and within families…
At our level, we exert all our energy and skills to try to prevent, support, and limit the damage. However, it must be acknowledged that we are powerless in the face of such a massive phenomenon.
Terrifiante réalité
In this context, the Ciivise has provided valuable support by tackling the issue head-on, in its entirety. First and foremost, on an individual level, they assist victims and their loved ones in sharing their testimonies (in just two years, 27,000 victims or co-victims have voiced their experiences to finally be acknowledged, heard, and believed by a public authority), recognizing their trauma, breaking their isolation, and attempting to help them heal.
You still have 57.06% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
Comments are closed.