On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November, reports, analyzes and testimonies. A folder carried out in partnership with Crédit Mutuel.
After passing through a secure reception area, you enter a building in Nantes Métropole before entering a large apartment with contemporary décor. The lights, acoustics, lavender and pastel blues, carpet on the floor and comfortable sofas are all designed to create a comfortable and calm space. On the island of Nantes, Citad’elles, which opened in November 2019, aims to be a cocoon, a place of resources to support women victims of violence and their children. He takes in an average of three new women a day, and more at around 6 or 7 in the early fall. “In five years, 5,700 of them have passed through the doors of Citad’elles”said Mahaut Bertu, deputy delegate for equality, non-sexist cities and the fight against discrimination. All age groups and socio-professional categories were affected, but almost 80% of women were under 45 years of age and almost 90% of women who came seeking protection were mothers.
Although the majority are victims of domestic violence, the center addresses broader issues, such as questions of consent, incest, cyberviolence; with more and more young women, of legal age, being welcomed. What makes this association special, which opened on the model of the Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis, is its multidisciplinary team of around twenty professionals, to have the most complete support possible, day and night. “And although most arrivals occur during the day, some emergencies that occur at night justify continuous opening”underline Mahaut Bertu.
At the reception, the course coordinator first assesses the need. Responsible for this section, Nadège Liteau details: “their role is very important to see if they need urgent care, to understand their situation and the children’s situation, to listen to them, to support them” and better support them afterwards. Once the testimonies are collected, the woman is referred to another professional: socio-educational assistant, social worker, psychiatrist, midwife, legal aid, police or gendarmerie.
Therefore, complaints can be filed on site. “This is important because it allows us to deal with complaints first with legal experts and lawyers”continued Mahaut Bertu. In a convincing environment, non-existent details emerge. “Here we need time, the deposit can take three hours.” The space regularly hosts CAF or association offices for childcare support or psychological support. In Citad’elles, you can also take refuge if danger occurs. The association owns three apartments and a house with a secret address.
