Freedom for Valérie Bacot !
Freedom for Valérie Bacot !
Why this petition matters
Freedom for Valérie Bacot !
Valérie Bacot was just a 12 year old child when she met her torturer. Daniel was her step father, her mother’s partner. Every evening, as she was back from school, he would rape her. At La Clayette village, in region Saône-et-Loire, everyone suspected it. But no one said a thing.
Reported by a member of his own family, Daniel is judged in 1995 and convicted to four years in prison. Valérie’s mother, though, will force her daughter to go and see him in the visiting room. Once released, Daniel reintegrated the family home, as if nothing happened. Valérie’s plight begins again. The teenager gets pregnant of him. In order to avoid any scandal, her mother kicks her out. Isolated, with no financial ressource, Valérie falls into Daniel’s hands, aged 25 years older than her. Everyone disapproved, but no one tried to help her.
For about 20 years ,Valérie Bacot lives behind closed doors. They have 4 children together, and Daniel ends up marrying her. She is not allowed to go out, must obey each of his orders for fear of reprisals. He beats her, rapes her, humiliates her, abuses her, forces her into prostitution – throughout all these years, she is constantly in danger. Valérie and her children attempted twice to alert the police, but the message fell on deaf ears. Everybody knew, but no one took action.
On March, 13th 2016, she killed him so that he would not kill her – with the same gun he would use to threaten her. Valérie is 36 years old, Daniel is more than 60. She then starts panicking, and hides his body in the forest. She is arrested in 2017 and placed in pre-trial detention. Indicted for murder, she risks life imprisonment.
Today, released on parole, after one year in detention, she has a permanent job and continues to take care of her children. Her trial will take place between June 21st and 25th 2021 before the criminal court of Chalon-sur-Saône.
Even though she committed a murder by killing her torturer, and considering the twenty-five years of distress she endured in general indifference, it’s her freedom we are demanding.
We must talk about her, tell her story, not give up on her. For her, just like for all victims of domestic violence, we have been waiting for too long – now is no longer time to look away.
If you wish to make a donation, or get involved in the support committee, please visit : www.valeriebacot.fr
Follow us:
On Facebook
On Twitter
On Instagram
Valérie Bacot’s support committee
Contact : Florian MAÏLY +33(0)6.62.81.67.47 (Support committee’s spokesperson)
/!\ For your signature to be taken into account, you must confirm it by clicking on the email sent to you. Thank you for your support !
#FreedomForValerie
For more information, visit www.valeriebacot.fr
