In France, police and gendarmerie services recorded 136 violent deaths within couples in 2025, a slight 1% decrease compared with 2024 (138 deaths). On average, one person dies like this every three days.
That is the finding of the National Study on violent deaths within couples, published by the Interior Ministry.
Looking at the breakdown by gender, women remain the main victims of this violence. In 2025, 111 women were killed by their partner or ex-partner, compared with 107 in 2024, a 4% rise. Women account for 82% of all victims.
Conversely, the number of men killed fell by 19% in a year, from 31 in 2024 to 25 in 2025. They make up 18% of the victims.
The report, seen by Euronews, also records 445 attempted homicides, a figure up on 2024, highlighting the scale of the violence suffered daily in people’s private lives.
Break-ups and arguments often behind the tragedies
Perpetrators of fatal domestic violence remain overwhelmingly male, representing 82% of those implicated. Among the main triggering factors are arguments, which led to 36 cases and break-ups that were not accepted, involved in 30 cases. Taken together, these two situations account for almost half of the cases studied.
The violence most often takes place in the home, in 76% of cases. Knives and other bladed weapons are the most frequently used (58%), ahead of firearms (34%).
The consequences of this violence also affect children. In 2025, 106 minors lost their father, their mother or both parents as a result of these tragedies. Nine infanticides were also committed in the context of relationship conflict.
One tragic example came in February 2025 in Franconville, in the Val-d’Oise department, when a one-year-old girl was killed by her father, who then took his own life. The couple had a history of domestic violence and were already subject to judicial monitoring.
The consequences of this violence also affect children. In 2025, 106 minors lost their father, their mother or both parents as a result of these tragedies. In addition, nine children were victims of infanticide in the context of marital conflict.
Previous violence before the killings often known to the authorities
The report notes that 37% of women killed had already suffered violence. Of these, 61% had reported the abuse to the police or gendarmerie and, within this group, 88% had already filed a complaint.
Despite these reports, protective measures were very rarely in place at the time of the killings: only one victim had a “grave danger” emergency phone (TGD) and another had an alarm button.
Finally, in 36% of cases, investigators found at least one substance likely to impair judgement, such as alcohol, narcotics or psychotropic medicines, present in the perpetrator or the victim at the time of the events.
Comprehensive law against sexual violence reaches Senate
The fight against sexist and sexual violence was declared a national cause during Emmanuel Macron’s first five-year term (2017-2022). Yet it took until this year, following the abduction, rape and murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna and the mobilisation that followed, for a wide-ranging cross-party bill to emerge: the comprehensive bill against sexist and sexual violence.
Backed by eight political groups in the National Assembly, the bill notably provides for a minimum investigative framework to prevent complaints from being closed too quickly, the creation of specialised police units and judicial bodies, as well as an annual compulsory interview at school to better detect violence, from 2032. It also provides for a care pathway for child victims.
On Tuesday, the bill was adopted unanimously by the National Assembly, with 503 votes in favour and none against. It must now be examined by the Senate.