French women push Macron for bolder plan to tackle sexual abuse
Prominent French filmmakers, authors and others have urged president Emmanuel Macron to launch an “attack plan” against sexual violence amid an upsurge in disclosures about past abuses by powerful men.
About 100 women addressed an open letter to Mr Macron, and an online petition yesterda carried in the prominent Journal du Dimanche newspaper denounced “intolerable collective denial” and said: “Mr President, we are facing a grave crisis. Are you on our side?”
Mr Macron’s government is currently working on creating legislation that would outlaw harassment against women in the streets and also toughen rules on sexual assault.
However, the petition urges more aggressive action.
Signatories want the government to double subsidies for abuse hotlines and victim help centres, introduce a non-violence training programme in all middle schools and require companies to train staff on preventing sexual harassment.
Among the first hundred signatories to the letter are the director Lisa Azuelos, actresses Zabou Breitman and Anna Mouglalis, writers Marie Darrieussecq and Tatiana de Rosnay, journalist Rokhaya Diallo and popular singer Imany.