Declared a government priority since 2008, with a budget of 1.4 million euros — and the implementation of a national call number 3977 — the fight against violence towards the elderly had to be extended to the departmental level. The inauguration, on Friday, December 12, 2008, at the Saint Roch University Hospital in Nice, of the “Listening, Guidance, and Access to Rights Office for Persons Victims of Violence or Abuse” practically reflects this national concern. In the presence of Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of Nice, Jean-Michel Hayat, President of the TGI of Nice and President of the CDAD (Departmental Council for Access to Law of the Alpes-Maritimes), and Emmanuel Bouvier-Muller, Director General of the University Hospital of Nice, as well as a large part of the Nice City Council (including Martine Ouaknine, Daniel Benchimol, and Marouane Boulouednine…), a Framework Convention was signed between the Department of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Saint Roch University Hospital to officially create and establish this office. This agreement provides for the provision by the Department of a clinical psychologist and a legal advisor from various associative structures also involved in this initiative.
Any adult — minors are automatically directed to the Archet hospital where a similar service already exists — arriving at the Saint Roch Emergency Department can thus be referred, after noting physical abuse — and psychological, admittedly harder to detect since this form of violence remains “taboo” — to this office where they will be invited to “express a muffled voice,” in Jean-Michel Hayat’s words. Although the organization of the office is still relatively administrative — awaiting a more suitable installation for personalized and confidential expression — the staff is already mobilized to carry out their missions. In place since last November 3rd, and while the Emergency Department welcomes more than 250 people per day, this office has already identified several cases of abuse against women and elderly people, who have been taken care of to benefit from follow-up by competent social services, particularly the Center for Information on Women’s and Family Rights (CIDFF) and the ALMAZUR Association.
Aiming not at a “systematic judicialization,” notes the President of the Nice High Court, it is nonetheless about “assessing appropriately” and in case of “strong suspicion” of violence, the multiple “intervention possibilities” in favor of the concerned individuals. While so far only isolated individuals or those living in families have come forward to this service, the work of this unit could eventually address potential issues of abuse in nursing homes, which are very numerous in the region. A particularly sensitive subject.
With a departmental contribution estimated at 110,000 euros, an “unprecedented operation conducted with the Medical and Medico-social Evaluation Agency” explains Christian Estrosi, specifying “a financing of 35,000 euros per year,” no one will contest the validity of this public expense. Enough to ease the painful tax increase.
Presence of this Office at the Saint Roch Hospital / a psychologist: 04 92 03 27 28 and a lawyer: 04 92 03 37 71
On WebTvNice
This video is from the website Web TV Nice 
