The number of people harmed by physical and sexual violence in France in 2025 drastically increased, reaching at least 473,000 according to law enforcement estimates. A report on crimes against individuals indicates a nearly 24% increase compared to the previous year, translating to approximately 90,000 additional victims. Among the most affected groups are minors, who constitute about 24% of all victims. The total number of victims of all forms of violence, including threats, exceeded 600,000, illustrating the severity of the personal safety problem in French society.
Sharp Increase in Victim Numbers
In 2025, France recorded 473,000 victims of physical and sexual violence, representing an increase of almost 24% (approximately 90,000 people) compared to 2024. This data comes from police and gendarmerie statistics, covering crimes that were reported and classified.
Significant Number of Minor Victims
About one quarter (24%) of all recorded victims of physical and sexual violence were minors. This alarming statistic highlights the particular vulnerability of this age group and indicates the need to strengthen protection mechanisms for children and youth.
Total Number of Victims Exceeds 600,000
When other forms of violence, such as criminal threats, are also included, the total number of people harmed in 2025 exceeded 600,000. This figure illustrates the broad scale of interpersonal violence in France, extending beyond physical and sexual crimes.
Statistics as an Indicator of Reality
The presented data, based on the methodology of the National Observatory of Crime and Criminal Justice (ONDRP), reflect only crimes reported and recorded by law enforcement agencies. Experts emphasize that the actual scale of the phenomenon, especially for domestic and sexual violence, is likely much larger due to the so-called dark figure of crime.
French police statistics for 2025 recorded a drastic increase in the number of victims of physical and sexual violence. According to a report published in late February 2026, 473,000 people were harmed over twelve months, representing an increase of almost 24% compared to 2024. In absolute numbers, this translates to approximately 90,000 additional victims. This data, collected by the National Observatory of Crime and Criminal Justice (ONDRP) based on information from the police and gendarmerie, concerns crimes that were reported and officially recorded. Particularly concerning is the share of minors in these statistics, who constitute about 24% of all victims of physical and sexual violence. This means that nearly one in four victims was under 18 years old, indicating an urgent need to strengthen systemic protection for children and youth. The overall picture of violence is even more extensive. When other forms, such as criminal threats, are added to physical and sexual crimes, the total number of people harmed in 2025 exceeds 600,000. This broad indicator shows the scale of personal safety issues for citizens. The causes of such a significant increase are not fully explained in the published reports. Experts point to several possible factors: improved crime registration procedures by the authorities, greater societal awareness encouraging the reporting of incidents, and a potential real increase in aggressive behavior during the period of return to normality after the pandemics and amid growing socio-economic tensions. However, it should be remembered that police statistics show only the tip of the iceberg. For crimes such as domestic or sexual violence, the reporting rate can be exceptionally low, meaning the actual number of victims may be many times higher. Crime statistics in France have been the subject of analysis and public debate for years. The data collection system, managed by the ONDRP among others, has been improved in recent decades to better record specific types of crimes, including domestic violence. Since 2006, the French penal code has included a definition of psychological violence in marriage, and since 2010, it has been prosecuted ex officio. Despite these legislative advances, combating interpersonal violence remains one of the key challenges for the French justice system and social policy.The publication of these alarming data coincided and is being commented on by major French media. "Le Monde" highlights the precise figure of 473,000 victims of physical and sexual violence, while "20minutes" uses the broader figure of "over 600,000" in its headline, including other categories. "Le Parisien" draws particular attention to the high percentage of minors among the victims. Such presentation of data does not constitute a contradiction but rather different emphases in communication. However, the available reports lack a detailed breakdown of data by type of violence (e.g., number of assault, battery, rape victims) or by victim gender, which hinders a full analysis of the phenomenon. The presented numbers primarily serve as a strong alarm signal for the authorities and the public, indicating the need for further in-depth research into the causes of this increase and more effective preventive and support measures.