Domestic violence: the state condemned for “gross negligence”

Ironically, while the government has just announced the creation of a “new starter package” to help victims of domestic violence, the French state has just been convicted of “gross negligence” in… a domestic violence case. According to The world, the facts date back to June 12, 2018, in Marseille. Cathy * was about to pick up her children when her ex-boyfriend, Karim Bouembassa, appeared to douse her face with acid. The man was sentenced in June 2020 to 15 years in prison with a 10-year security term. But on November 16th even the court of Paris recognized the guilt of the State, acknowledging «the incapacity of the public service of justice to acquit [sa] mission, which he missed the chance to [Cathy] in order not to suffer this aggression”. The state prosecutor was ordered to pay him 10,000 euros in damages.

Ineffectiveness of sanctions

At the time of the attack, Karim Bouembassa was already the subject of a suspended sentence, probation and already had two judicial reviews to his credit. He is therefore strictly prohibited from coming into contact with his ex-partner or coming near his home. He doesn’t even have to live in his own city and normally resides in the Paris region. The trial would later show that he never actually left Marseille. Before the final assault, justice already knew that Karim Bouembassa had nothing to do with the bans imposed on him. The latter had demonstrated this by multiplying in particular the death threats against Cathy and their children. Despite everything, the justice has not taken any decision that went beyond the judicial checks that the defendant had not respected.

A feeling of impunity

For me^And Romain Maréchal, Cathy’s lawyer, “The continued release of Karim Bouembassa despite evidence of domestic violence and the violation of his judicial oversight has given him a sense of impunity and gave him free rein to proceed with his grisly acid spray attack.”

If women victims of violence are often reluctant to file complaints, this was not the case for Cathy. Between March and June 2018 she had filed 7 complaints against her ex-partner. While the latter is finally behind bars, she confided in the World his relief. “From the police station to the victim aid association, during the two trials, everyone acknowledged the existence of serious flaws,” he told the newspaper. Not sanctioning them would have been a second form of violence for me, this institutional one. »

*Name has been changed

Cover image: Unsplash / Kat J