Prevalence data and victim surveys
Costs of domestic violence
Age distribution of domestic violence
Number of deaths
Prevalence data and victim surveys
France reported several national level victimisation surveys that focus on victimisation to domestic violence and violence against women. In addition, a number of other less rigorous data sources were identified. The overall data provision has been improved considerably since 2000. The main survey data identified, CSV, includes both women and men as respondents and has been conducted annually since 2007.
The police data, similar to victimisation data provisions, are described as having gone through major improvements since 2000. Nowadays the victims may either ask their informal claim to be registered or to formally press charges. The Ministry of the Interior does not use the information based on informal claims (MCI), but the Gendarmerie may use them to analyse territorial trends. The crime data is reported in data systems of the national police and the Gendarmerie. Serious deficits, such as routinely filling in incorrect information about the nature of the crime, have been identified in the recording of information to data systems, and the Ministry of Interior statisticians consider data concerning domestic violence to be usable since 2015.
This study analyses the characteristics of men and women being victims of physical and sexual violence during the past two years and caused by the partner they are currently living with. These data are collected through the French crime and victimisation survey conducted annually between 2008 and 2014. We find that approximately 8,2‰ of men and 18,7‰ of women aged 18 to 75 have been victims of such violence. These rates are estimated for several characteristics of women and men, such as age, education and physical disability, jointly with those of their current partner. The data shows highest rates of victimisation for disabled women or for women whose partner has a physical disability. In both cases, the rate is over 30‰. Conversely, for disabled men, the rate is lower than the average (3‰). Regarding age, rates display similar patterns for women and men. Those aged under 35 or living with a partner aged under 35 face the highest rates of physical or sexual violence. However, rate for women is higher when the current partner is older while rate is higher for men living with a younger partner. Concerning education level, data show various patterns depending on the degree of the victim or its partner. However, we find highest rates for educated women living with a partner with low education level. Regarding men, highest rates are estimated in case of large differences between partners’ education levels and for highly educated partners.
Costs of domestic violence
According to an estimate carried out in 2018, the financial needs in terms of combating domestic violence are estimated at between EUR 506.1 million and EUR 1 106.3 million. This estimate concerns only women victims of such violence. With the 4th inter-ministerial plan to combat violence against women (2014-2016), a study on estimating the economic costs of domestic violence has been carried out. Based on 2012 data, the direct annual cost of supporting women victims of domestic violence is 631.2 million euros. These costs in 2012 are allocated as follows:
Age distribution of domestic violence
Number of deaths
