French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken out against domestic violence, saying it shames France that a woman is killed every three days.
In a speech marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, he said the silence around the issue must be broken.
He has made gender equality one of the main themes of his five-year term in office.
A number of demonstrations are being held across France to mark the day.
“It’s indispensable that the idea of shame changes sides, that the Republic cleanses its own concept of shame; that the everyday criminals who harass, insult, touch, attack never be excused, but identified, vilified, brought to justice, condemned as firmly as they should be,” he said.
“And France should no longer be one of those countries where women live in fear.”
During his election campaign last year, Mr Macron said the issue of violence against women would be a priority for his presidency.
Polls conducted by his then movement, En Marche, suggested that it was the French public’s top concern.
During his speech, Mr Macron observed a minute’s silence for the 123 women killed by their partner or ex-partner in 2016.
Nearly 225,000 women were physically or sexually abused by their spouses, but fewer than one in five filed a complaint about it.