France

Re#Start Network: A New Maison des Femmes in Périgueux

Organization
Re#Start, France

Project summary
The city of Périgueux is preparing to open its own Maison des Femmes in March 2025, joining the expanding Re#Start national network. Recently presented to the ReStart evaluation committee, the Périgueux center is undergoing the labelling process to become part of this growing movement.

Like all Maisons des Femmes in the network, the new center will be connected to a public hospital and will offer a safe, dedicated space for women experiencing violence. With a strong multidisciplinary and trauma-informed approach, the center will function as a “one-stop shop” where medical, legal, psychological, and social support come together under one roof.

The care team will include a forensic doctor, gynecologist, midwife, nurse, medical secretary, and social worker. Women will have access to a full violence care pathway and therapeutic activities such as empowerment workshops, yoga, therapeutic karate, and socio-aesthetics, all designed to support healing and restore autonomy.

Beyond individual care, the Maison will also work proactively in the community—raising awareness, offering prevention programs in schools, training local police and gendarmes, and engaging with employers and institutions to build a culture of zero tolerance for violence.

By joining the Re#Start network, the Périgueux Maison des Femmes will uphold a national standard of excellence in care and contribute to a stronger, better-connected ecosystem of support for women across France.