French police have begun an investigation after a young woman stated she was attacked by three men and assaulted in public for wearing a skirt.
What We Know:
- The student, 22, who identified only as Elisabeth, stated she was hit on the face in the eastern city of Strasbourg, Friday afternoon. The attack was “done by three individuals who complained about me wearing a skirt”.
- Elisabeth told France Bleu Alsace radio, she was walking home when one of the three yelled, “look at that whore in a skirt”. She continued to say that two of the men were holding her, as the third hit her in the face, leaving her with a black eye.
- Sadly, this happens many times. She mentioned there were more than a dozen witnesses, but no one stepped in or ran after the attackers when they fled.
- The government condemned the “grave” incident as intolerable, which came with remarkably growing anger in France over the physical and verbal abuse towards women over how they dress in public.
- A photograph of Elisabeth’s bruised face was posted on the Twitter account of France Bleu Alsace and went viral, sparking fury among social media users.
- Government Spokesman, Gabriel Attal, stated that the facts are serious and that in France, they should be able to go out and wear whatever they want. He went on to say that they cannot accept in France that a woman feels in danger, harassed, or threatened because of the way she is dressed.
- Marlène Schiappa, junior interior minister in charge of equality issues, told LCI television channel that when people see or witness street harassment, sexist or sexual assault against women in public spaces, everyone must react and call the police or the gendarmerie (military force with law enforcement duties).
In recent weeks, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist government has begun using more and more harsh rhetoric on domestic security issues.
