Thousands protest against femicides and sexual and sexist violence in France

PARIS (AP) — Thousands of protesters demonstrated Saturday in Paris and other French cities against femicides and sexual and sexist violence.

In Paris, large crowds of women and men marched waving purple placards that denounced gender-based violence and defended women’s reproductive rights.

Protesters expressed concerns of a possible rollback for women’s rights in the wake of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory. They also expressed solidarity for Gisèle Pélicot. The harrowing trial of her ex-husband and dozens of other men being prosecuted for rapes while she was drugged and unconscious has stoked anger about sexual violence in France.

“Unfortunately, anybody can be a perpetrator of violence. It can be our brothers. It can be our fathers. It can be our colleagues. It can be our bosses. I think that’s the big shock for people,” said Maelle Noir, representing the feminist collective “Nous Toutes” — which translates as “All of us.”

“There is no typical profile of who the rapist could be and there is also no typical profile of who the victim could be,” she said.

Protest organizers demanded increased government spending to fight sexual and sexist violence and promote gender equality.