Violence. Child abuse: the figures of a violence finally being spoken about

In 2024, the police and gendarmerie in France recorded 90,000 victims of violence within the family, outside the couple, a 9% rise in one year. Minors account for three quarters of the victims of physical violence and 96% of the victims of sexual violence within the family. For sexual violence, girls are the large majority from the age of 10; before that age, boys account for nearly one victim in four.

The 119, the French “Allô Enfance en danger” helpline for children at risk, handled 34,154 calls in 2024, 8% more than the previous year. It passed 24,322 reports of concern to the child protection services of the départements. The dangers most often mentioned: psychological violence, neglect and physical violence.

In 2024, 8,456 children called the 119 themselves.

When children call themselves

It is one of the most striking figures: 8,456 minors contacted the 119 themselves in 2024, most often about their own situation. The service is free, anonymous, open day and night, and also available by chat. It does not appear on phone bills.

The law has changed

Since the law of 10 July 2019, the French Civil Code states that parental authority is exercised “without physical or psychological violence”. Spanking, slapping, humiliation or threats are no longer considered methods of upbringing. The text did not create a new criminal penalty: it sets a principle, which child professionals remind parents of.

Children exposed to domestic violence are victims too. They often carry its marks: anxiety, sleep problems, difficulties at school, or a tendency to reproduce later what they saw. In 2025, 106 children lost a parent killed by the other.

What to do if you are worried about a child?

No one needs to be certain to raise the alarm: the 119 is also there for neighbours, grandparents, teachers or family friends who have doubts. Professionals then assess the situation. In case of immediate danger, call 17.

For the child as for the family, age-appropriate support helps put words to what happened. For the youngest, play and drawing are often the first ways of saying what cannot yet be told.

This article is for information only. It replaces neither a consultation nor a diagnosis, which is a doctor's role.