Insurance company AXA has worked with Publicis Conseil to change its insurance policies across France in order to recognize domestic violence as a risk and help women and children who are its victims. The initiative, supported by a large scale national advertising campaign, will provide emergency relocation support for domestic violence for the first time.

Home is the most dangerous place for women.

In France, domestic violence is on the rise. The number of domestic violence victims reported to police stations has doubled between 2016 and 2023, rising from over 124,000 to more than 270,000.* And these are only the reported cases. According to the Women’s Foundation (Fondation des Femmes), the actual number of victims is estimated to be closer to 1 million each year.

According to the French Ministry of the Interior, 77% of calls to 3919 (a national helpline for domestic violence) mention the urgent need to find alternative housing.

Many factors can prevent a woman from leaving a violent household. But one of the main barriers to leaving for victims of domestic violence is the lack of rehousing solutions, which forces them to remain in their home. Indeed, victims of domestic violence are often isolated from family and friends and placed under financial control by their abusive partner. As a result, they are left without resources, support, or anywhere to go.**

AXA steps in to provide emergency housing relocation.

When a victim of domestic violence seeks help, it often coincides with a peak in danger, an escalation of violence. Acting quickly is crucial. This presents a challenge in victim support -and that’s where the insurer has a role to play. Insurers are specialized in emergency rehousing in the event of a disaster, such as a fire or flood. They have assistance systems in place to rehouse a family within 24 hours, in an equivalent accommodation. With its expertise, the insurer can provide rapid assistance, ensuring that the victim and their children are safely relocated. AXA steps in during this critical emergency window to help women land on their feet, allowing nonprofit organizations to take over and provide long-term support.

As part of its ongoing commitment to fighting domestic violence***, AXA France is now introducing two new guarantees in its home insurance policies:

  • Legal, psychological, and financial support, provided by Juridica, AXA France’s legal protection subsidiary, through a team of 50 lawyers trained to assist victims of violence.
  • Emergency rehousing coverage for a period of 7 days (renewable) for the victim and their children, giving them the time and security needed to take essential steps and find a long-term housing solution.

This new support system is built on:

  • A dedicated legal assistance helpline, available Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM, to provide victims with guidance on their rights and assess their potential need for emergency housing relocation.
  • A specialized unit for domestic violence victims within AXA Partners, an entity focused on everyday assistance, available 24/7. This team is responsible for securing safe and suitable accommodation (hotel or trusted third party) while ensuring anonymity, security guarantees, geographic considerations, and family needs (e.g., number of children). They also arrange transportation to the chosen location.

Large scale communication campaign

To raise awareness of this new support system, AXA has launched a large-scale communication campaign (TV, national billboards, social media) designed and led by Publicis Conseil. The campaign centers around the addition of ‘three words’ to insurance policies – ‘and domestic violence’ – which will make all the difference.

A TV commercial will run for three weeks, supported by a national billboard campaign, as well as press, digital, and social media coverage.

A 2-minute educational video explaining the initiative and detailing the victim support process behind AXA’s new guarantee is released online. This video is designed not only for victims but also for their loved ones, who may use it to inform and support them.

A short documentary, directed by Marjory Dejardin in collaboration with Sarah Barukh, takes an immersive, on-the-ground approach. It follows the entire victim support process from the moment they reach out to AXA, highlighting the efforts of those working to help them.

After a launch in France, the AXA group is considering expansion into other countries.

Discover the video:

Discover the documentary:

Agathe Bousquet, President of Publicis Groupe France, said: "Victims of domestic violence are often isolated from their family and friends by their abusive partner. As a result, they may feel like they have no way out. When an insurer like AXA includes emergency rehousing in its home insurance policies and communicates about it in national media, it sends a powerful message: You are not alone, solutions exist, and you can ask for help."

Guillaume Borie, CEO of AXA France, explained: "Protecting our policyholders from the risks they face is our core responsibility, and providing emergency rehousing in cases of flooding or fire is part of our mission. With this expertise and our long-standing commitment to working alongside associations and public authorities in the fight against violence against women, we are evolving our insurance policies to leverage our knowledge in rehousing and support services for victims of domestic violence."

Notes:
*According to the Service Statistique Ministériel de la Sécurité Intérieure (SSMSI).
** There is a critical lack of emergency shelter for women in danger:
- 10,185 emergency shelter places are dedicated to women victims of violence, according to the Interministerial Mission for the Protection of Women Against Violence, while the estimated need is around 35,000, according to the Fondation des Femmes.
- 40% of women victims of domestic violence are not offered any accommodation solution when they try to leave their partner.
*** Elle's Angels
This groundbreaking initiative builds on 10 years of experience gained through the Elle’s Angels sponsorship program, which has supported leading women’s rights organizations, including Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes, La Fondation des Femmes, La Maison des Femmes, and Femmes Avec.
Since 2015, AXA has been supporting women in legal proceedings through Elle’s Angels, its sponsorship program. A team of specially trained volunteer legal experts from Juridica, AXA’s legal protection subsidiary, provides victims with legal, psychological, and financial assistance—answering their questions for free, informing them of their rights, and guiding them toward available resources. The program also helps cover legal costs for victims in collaboration with grassroots organizations.
Over the past ten years, Elle’s Angels has supported more than 2,000 women and allocated nearly €1.4 million to cover their legal proceedings.
My Legal Protection (‘Ma Protection Juridique’)
In 2022, AXA reinforced its commitment by incorporating this support into its legal protection insurance policies for individuals, introducing a domestic violence coverage guarantee.
Credits
Brand
AXA France
Alice Holzman: Client Director
Thomas Boutte: Brand Director
Sophie Dupuis Latour: Advertising Manager
Noemie Gayet: Brand Project Officer
Anne Ferrandin: Head Of Media
Faiza Dries: Media Project Officer
Hélène Caillet: Head Of PR
Gustavo Coura Guimaraes: Press Public Relation Officer
AXA Global
Ulrike Decoene: Group Chief Communications
Virginie Bercot: Global Brand Director
Ida Catuelan: Global Advertising Manager
Emma Oumeddour: Global Brand Project Officer
Agency - Publicis Conseil
Agathe Bousquet: Présidente Publicis France
Marco Venturelli: Global CCO/CEO Leo -
CCO Publicis Groupe France
CEO/CCO Publicis Conseil
Sarah Lemarie: Creative Strategy Lead
Pierre Mathonat: Executive Creative Director
Claire Viala: Client Lead France
Marie Wallet: Global Client Lead
Antoine Collignon: Global Strategy Director
Francois Borel: Client Service Director
Juliette Llory: Account Director
Nadia Ragragui: Account Executive
Carla Cabalfin: Deputy Global Client Lead
Maude Gourrier: Global Account Director
Maud Robaglia: Head of Art
Francesca Vitello: Copywriter
Laura Aondio: Artistic Director
Arnaud Cherbonnier: Copywriter
Vincent Tavernier: Artistic Director
Benjamin Amadei: Motion Designer
Cecile Cuzin: Process Manager
Geraldine Sorhaitz: Process Manager
Julie Nudelman: Traffic Manager
Agency - Publicis Consultants
Juliette Prigent: Global Director
Elsa Peretti: Associate Director
Marie Quinette: Account Director
Axelle Gadala: Account Director
Lea Corblin: PR & Influence Consultant
Media - Wavemaker
Julien Boyer: CEO Wavemaker France
Jordan Coutault: Business Partner
Elvire Padovani: Account Director
Assia Birba: Account Manager
Juliette Fernandes: Account Executive Intern
Haley Rubin: Global Business Lead
David Hugonnet: Digital Lead
Tania Duval: Global Planning Director
Laurent Thevenet: Global Planning Lead
Artem Agvsutov: Global Digital Account Manager
Noemie Mendes: Account Director Programmatic
Benjamin Talineau: Programmatic Trader
Chloe Lignier: Content Director
Juliette Petit: Media Trader Radio
Marine Daumont: Team Lead Audio
Marwan Massad: Trader Media Multiscreen
Nicolas Bourgeois: Account Manager Multiscreen
Walter Flahaut: DOOH Business Director
Marie-Amelie Marchand: OOH Account Director
Louis Brouard: Strategic Planner
Sacha Bury: Chief Strategic Officer
Olivier Durand: Account Manager Press
Nesrine Hileli: Social Media Paid
Production - Prodigious
Armelle Sudron: Producer
Berenice Bouvart: Producer
Marie Caron: Production Director
Elizabeth Dovjenok: Assistant Production Director
Marjory Dejardin: Director
Sarah Barukh: Screenwriter
Mathilde Fanet: First Assistant Director
Maya Rosa: Sound Supervisor
Frederique Robert: Make Up Artist
Mehdi Manser: Director Of Photography
Clementine Peron: First Assistant Camera
Damien Perrolaz: Sound Supervisor
Remi Dufour: Chief Lighting Technician
Philippe Bourdon: Production Manager
Louis Lebastard: Electrician
Pierre Huon: Postproduction
Thomas Fernandez: Film Editor
Chloe Thomas: Film Editor Assistant
Vivien Villani: Compositor
Alexia Besnarous: Postproduction
Marie Faivre: Postproduction
Yoann Bouchard: After Effect
David Perez: After Effect
Carsten Kruger: Audio Producer
About AXA France
AXA France, an AXA Group company headed by Guillaume Borie, is France's leading insurer. A multi-specialist insurer, it protects nearly 8 million customers - individuals, businesses and professionals - thanks to the expertise and proximity of its sales networks and nearly 14,000 employees.
About Publicis Conseil
A creative agency run by Agathe Bousquet and Marco Venturelli, the agency is part of the Leo Constellation. Named ‘Agency of the year’ at Cannes Lions and First agency in the WARC Creative 100, it received 280 creative awards in 2024, making it Publicis Groupe's leading creative agency in France. With 700 talents, the agency supports its clients from France in their creative and positive transformation on their various international markets: Accor, AXA, BNP Paribas, Carrefour, ENGIE, Fnac Darty, L'Oréal, Nestlé, Orange, Renault, Sanofi, SNCF, etc. The agency has been awarded the Agences Actives RSE label by the AACC and AFNOR, and is also No. 1 in Act Responsible's Good Report. www.publicisconseil.fr