France recorded two more murders of women over the past weekend, likely femicides. In Les Lilas near Paris, on February 23, the body of a woman with knife and hammer wounds was found, and her partner was detained. A day earlier, in the Seine-et-Marne department, a court ordered the pre-trial detention of a man who confessed to killing his former partner in an exceptionally brutal manner.
Gruesome Discovery in Les Lilas
On February 23, a woman's body was found in an apartment belonging to the suspect's parents in Les Lilas. The victim had numerous stab wounds and signs of blows from a blunt instrument, likely a hammer.
Victim's Partner in Police Custody
The man, who was the murdered woman's partner, was detained and is in garde à vue. Investigators have not yet released his personal details or motives.
Pre-trial Detention in Seine-et-Marne Case
Earlier, on February 21, a court ordered the pre-trial detention of a man who confessed to killing his former partner in the Seine-et-Marne department. The victim's body was mutilated.
Charge of Murder by Partner
The suspect from Seine-et-Marne was formally charged with 'meurtre par conjoint' (murder by a spouse/partner). He faces life imprisonment.
Continuation of a Grim Statistic
These incidents fit into the grim statistic of femicides in France, where a woman is killed by a partner or former partner every three days.
Over a single weekend in France, two murders of women occurred, which according to initial findings were committed by their partners. On Saturday, February 23, in the town of Les Lilas, on the outskirts of Paris, a woman's body was found in an apartment belonging to the suspect's parents. According to media reports, the victim, whose age and identity have not yet been officially confirmed, died from numerous stab wounds and injuries from hammer blows. Her partner, who was also in the apartment, was detained by police and is in police custody (garde à vue). The prosecutor's office in Bobigny is investigating the case. Investigators have secured the scene and are questioning witnesses. Earlier, on Friday, February 21, the justice system dealt with another, exceptionally brutal murder. In the Seine-et-Marne department, a court ordered the pre-trial detention of a man who confessed to murdering his former partner. According to the prosecutor's office, the woman's body was found in a state indicating the perpetrator's particular cruelty. Media, citing sources close to the investigation, report that the victim was "eviscerated and strangled." The suspect was charged with "meurtre par conjoint," which in the French penal code means murder committed by a spouse, cohabiting partner, or former partner. This crime carries a penalty of life imprisonment. In France, the fight against domestic violence and femicide became a priority of domestic policy after a series of high-profile cases in the late 2010s. In 2019, the government organized the so-called "Grenelle contre les violences conjugales," a cycle of consultations that resulted in a package of 46 measures, including increased funding for shelters, the introduction of electronic bracelets for perpetrators to prohibit them from approaching victims, and the simplification of the complaint procedure. These two incidents have shocked public opinion and reminded people of the ongoing, systemic problem of violence against women. Feminist organizations have been warning for years that in France, a woman is killed by a partner or former partner every three days. According to official data from the Ministry of the Interior, 94 such killings were recorded in 2023, and this number has remained at a similar level for several years, despite government declarations of a "great national fight."