Marking the International day for the elimination of violence against women, French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday signed decrees putting in place new measures to "enforce the protection of victims and the fight against violence". Advocates have long criticised as too low France's investment in protecting women.

"Fighting violence against women is at the heart of the government's action," said the Prime Minister's office, calling for "collective mobilisation", encouraging people to alert violence via the national 3919 hotline.

Amongst the new measures decreed Thursday is the opening of 1,000 shelter spaces for victims in 2022, maintaining the same level of financing as this year, bringing the total the total to 9,000.

Some 5,000 "serious danger" telephones, equipped with a button to contact authorities directly, will be distributed in 2022.

The phones have "proven themselves and are effective to protect victims from their abuser", said the Prime Minister's office.

Police in France responded to 159,400 domestic violence cases in 2020, an increase of ten percent from the previous year.

The national hotline saw a 114 percent increase in calls between 2017 and 2020, according to the National women's solidarity federation that manages the line, calling the rise "exponential".

Rape, domestic violence continue to rise in France as Covid cuts assault, theft

The Federation noted that the vast majority (95 percent) of calls have to do with domestic violence.

The 3919 hotline is anonymous and free of charge, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Women's advocacy groups have long decried the government's lack of commitment into the issue of domestic violence, which mostly concerns women, saying a trippling of investment is needed to make an effect.

French government, on back foot over femicide, announces new measures

Included in the measures introduced Thursday is the introduction of a "week of equality between girls and boys" at school, to be held as of 2022 the week of 8 March, according to the Prime Minister's office, indicating that Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer will provide details about the content of the week.

(with wires)

Originally published on RFI