Femicide of Sonia Bellina: the National Union of Femicide Families denounces the lack of support

“Women continue to die with total indifference and unfortunately, nothing is done to protect them,” denounced Friday August 21 on ICI Gard Lozère Sandrine Bouchait, co-founder and president of the National Union of Feminicide Families (UNFF), after the death of Sonia Bellina. The partly charred body of this 29-year-old Gard influencer was found on Wednesday August 12 between rows of vines in Saint-Gilles, in Gard. Two men have since been arrested and taken into police custody. One of the two men was released this Thursday, while police custody was extended for the second.

“It is unfortunately still sad news” because “we see that the figures are not decreasing” and even “continue to increase”, declares Sandrine Bouchait. The fact that Sonia Bellina's body was found partly charred has particular resonance for the president of the UNFF, whose sister was killed using the same method. “It’s true that it particularly touched me,” she explains, adding that she was thinking of Sonia Bellina’s loved ones because she “unfortunately knows the very difficult journey they will have to go through, because unfortunately, there is no support for us victims.”

His association aims in particular to “avoid this loneliness following femicide”. She specifies that “a feminicide impacts around 150 people”, including family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and neighbors. Sandrine Bouchait also deplores the legal procedures that relatives face after femicide. “Many families find themselves in great distress having to pay lawyer fees that they had not anticipated,” she said, denouncing “a lot of institutional mistreatment”.

“This family has the right to legal aid. I hope that they will not have to spend money on lawyer fees, since they are entitled to it.”

Following the influencer's death, many online hate messages were posted against her. Sandrine Bouchait calls on the family not to consult them while demanding prosecutions against their authors. “Of course we have to prosecute all the people, because it’s just horrible. It’s a family that is in mourning and they don’t need to receive all these waves of hatred on social networks,” she is indignant. The president of the UNFF finally called on the government to act on online anonymity. “It’s enough that we no longer know who is behind each account. We really need to lift this anonymity from social networks.”