France: Man Sentenced For Domestic Violence Shoots Wife, Sets Her Alight

A French women's rights group called the La Fondation des Femmes (the Women's Foundation) has called on the government for the removal of guns from violent partners. This comes after a woman named Chahinez was shot and burnt by her husband.

The husband killed his wife after he was sentenced for domestic violence, less than a year ago. Chahinez, the 31-year old mother-of-three is the 39th woman who has been killed by a partner, or ex-partner this year in France.

The attack on Chahinez took place on Tuesday evening. Her ex-partner arrived at her home in Mérignac, close to Bordeaux in south-western France. He then shot her in the legs, and then set her on fire when she tried to flee.

Her ex-partner was earlier sentenced to 18 months in prison and was also banned from going near Chahinez after he was released.

Hundreds of people gathered at Mérignac near Bordeaux on Wednesday to pay their tributes. "Horrified by this heinous crime, I extend my sincere support to the family of the victim," France's Minister for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa wrote on Twitter. "The fight against domestic violence and femicide continues."

French ministry allegedly ignored warnings about violent partners

The French women's rights group said that a third of femicides are carried out by using guns every year. This has made the French police confiscate weapons from perpetrators carrying out domestic violence.

However, the French women's rights group said that France's interior ministry has repeatedly ignored warnings about guns being used by the violent partners of many women.

This issue regarding femicide came to light in 2019, when thousands of people took to the streets to protest against gender-based violence. According to France's justice minister, about 149 women were killed at the hands of their partners, or ex-partners.

That's when the French ministry increased the funding directed towards emergency accommodation, and for protecting women who were at risk.

Last year, the number of such killings reduced to 90. However, many women's rights group say that it is too early to say that this trend will continue.