Women for Women France has alerted to the danger of the increase of violence against women in France following a proposed reform to the State Medical Assistance or "l’Aide Médicale d’État" (AME) announced by Frédéric Valletoux, Minister Delegate of Health, on France info.
A measure that will increase sexist violence on French territory
The proposed measure is that a woman’s right to AME healthcare will be dependent on her spouse's income. If her partner’s income exceeds a certain threshold, she will not have access to any health coverage and will therefore be forced to ask her partner to pay her medical expenses.
“Blocking access to health care is already a well-established and documented form of domestic abuse. By depriving women of their autonomy, this measure will increase this type of violence, as well as reduce body autonomy for many women in the French territory,” said Dr Angélie Pham, President of Women for Women France.
“It will also create a situation where victim-survivors will not be able to access the healthcare they need following domestic violence, for example post-traumatic stress support, treatment of physical injuries, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), access to morning-after pills, etc.”
Asking permission to go to the doctor: body autonomy of women under threat in France
Fundamental to gender equality is the right of women to make autonomous decisions concerning their bodies and to access healthcare.
Such a measure will force the women to ask permission and the funds from their partner to be able to make a doctor's appointment. It will not jeopardize body autonomy, but will make women more precarious while facilitating the influence and control that an abuser can exercise over their partner.
Two-speed women's rights in France?
In October 2023, France removed partner income from the calculation of the Adult Disability Payment or “l'allocation adultes handicapés”, allowing women living with disabilities to obtain financial independence from their partner.
In 2024, France enshrined in its Constitution the guaranteed right to an abortion, thus reaffirming the fundamental nature of this freedom in France.
However, the French government is now pushing a measure that will make many foreign-born women dependent on their partner for access to health care.
“This shows that the French government does not yet understand the complexity of coercive control and does not undertake adequate risk analysis regarding women's safety in the development of its policies”, said Sarah McGrath, CEO, Women for Women France.
The link with the risk of femicide
The form of domestic abuse that involves blocking access to health care has serious consequences and should not be underestimated.
In a third of cases of femicide, the murder is the first act of physical violence.
However, research shows that all victims of femicide were subject to other forms of coercive control before the murder, such as control of access to health and administrative rights.
What has Women for Women France done?
Women for Women France has directly informed the Prime Minister's Office as well as the Minister responsible for Equality between Women and Men and the Minister of Health that this measure will increase gender-based and sexual violence in France.
Little-known context: why do women find themselves “undocumented” in France?
For many women in France, finding themselves in an irregular or “undocumented” administrative situation is often a direct result of domestic violence and coercive control.
A perpetrator of domestic violence implements numerous coercive control tactics aimed at making his victim dependent, subordinate and/or depriving him of his freedom of action. Obstructing her ability to obtain or renew the residence rights to which she may be eligible is part of this destructive strategy.
“Jessie”, an American citizen in France, spoke of her experience:
"[...] When it came time to renew my residency card which was based on us living together, he simply refused to come to the prefecture to validate my request. So I became ‘undocumented’. I couldn't believe it.”
Research by Women for Women France revealed that out of 100 foreign victims interviewed, 82% of them suffered this type of violence on French territory. 40% of them found themselves in an irregular or “undocumented” administrative situation because of this violence.
As it stands, the French Penal Code does not include a provision to prohibit this type of devastating domestic abuse.
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About WFWF
Women for Women France (WFWF) is the creator and manager of the national Online Multilingual Online Resource Centre for all people confronted with domestic abuse and gender-based violence in France. Our expertise is in domestic abuse, coercive control, and migrants’ rights.
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