Providing young women with a safe environment free from violence and supporting them as they achieve independence

  • 22% of women between the ages of 18 and 24 say that they have suffered from sexual assault or rape. (French High Council for Equality, 2023)
  • More than 50% of victims of sexual violence are women aged 18 to 24. (French National Observatory on Violence Against Women, 2021)
  • In 2023, the French High Council for Equality declared that “sexism is not declining in France. On the contrary, some of sexism’s most violent manifestations are on the rise, and younger generations are the most affected.”
A safe and caring environment for supporting recovery

Mon Palier is a shelter that provides accommodation for young women aged 18 to 25 who have survived sexual violence and who do not have children. The project aims to provide a safe haven for young women who are often exposed to gender-based and sexual violence (domestic violence, intra-family violence, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, prostitution), and to support and empower them as they recover.

In addition to accommodation, Mon Palier offers comprehensive, personalized support structured around several key themes:

  • Socio-educational support: psychoeducation, sexual health, addiction prevention
  • Access to healthcare: psychological support, dental care, mind-body interventions
  • Social and professional integration: skills training, introduction to administrative processes
  • Sports, cultural, and leisure activities: theater, reading, art therapy
  • Building self-reliance: restoring self-esteem in a safe, all-women environment.

The Kering Foundation has helped fund Mon Palier's operations since 2022 and also financed an internal project assessment in 2023.

A service provided as part of the continuum of care offered by La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis

Created in 2016 by Dr. Ghada Hatem-Gantzer, La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis is a unique haven for women survivors. Affiliated with the Delafontaine Hospital in Saint-Denis, La Maison des femmes provides comprehensive on-site support (medical, psychological, legal, and social) to all women in need, with no conditions attached.

51

young women received care.

23

23 went on to make “positive” transitions to other types of housing (young workers’ hostels, social housing, Crous housing, private housing).

70%

are employed when they leave the shelter.

❝Rebuilding a life after gender-based violence can be a long process, but it is possible! Thanks to funding from the Kering Foundation, the team at the Mon Palier emergency shelter is able to support the young women they house throughout their rebuilding journeys. The ability to help them regain a sense of purpose in their lives as young adults is truly invaluable!❞

Olivia Gayraud

Department Head - Mon Palier University Hospital Center