The Duchess of Cornwall has told how her campaign to highlight domestic violence was inspired by the experiences of friends.
Camilla, 70, who has made the issue of sexual and physical violence against women one of the cornerstones of her public work, said today: ‘I’d always known about domestic abuse, in fact I knew people who’d suffered from it, but I’d no idea of the extent or how many people, how many women actually around the world are suffering from it.’
The Duchess was visiting VIFILL SOS Femmes in Lyon during an official tour to France with her husband, Prince Charles.
Set up in 1979 to focus on refuge housing for victims of domestic violence, it also now provides support for women without financial means to leave abusive partner
Asked about her reaction to the centre she visited today, she said: ‘It’s incredibly well run, the lady who runs it is passionate about it, it’s been going for a very long time I think long before a lot of people talked about domestic abuse.
Speaking about domestic violence on a visit to a women’s refuse centre today, Camilla admitted she had ‘no idea of the extent or how many people, how many women actually around the world are suffering from it’
The Duchess was presented with a hamper as she spoke to residents and staff inside the refuge today
Speaking about her work in the field of domestic violence, Camilla said: ‘Each told their stories and they were the most moving stories I’ve ever heard, I mean there was nobody in the whole audience without a tear in their eye’
‘It’s also got the backing of the city and the mayor so it’s financed by them and talking to the ladies they say it’s their safe haven.
‘It’s the one place they feel safe, they can get back on their feet, back into work and back into a normal life again.’
Speaking to Rhiannon Mills of Sky News after the visit, she told how she had been inspired by a visit to a charity called Safe Lives in 2016 during which women and families affected by domestic violence and murder had told her their stories.
She said: ‘”I think it was this charity Safelives I went to visit, I’d always known about domestic abuse, in fact I knew people who’d suffered from it, but I’d no idea of the extent or how many people, how many women actually around the world are suffering from it.
‘I went to this meeting for Safelives and these incredibly brave women got up and they each told their stories and they were the most moving stories I’ve ever heard, I mean there was nobody in the whole audience without a tear in their eye.
‘I think it’s because these women can get up and talk about it that it’s at last making a difference because I think people are beginning to realise what it’s all about and they also realise ‘it’s not only me’ there’s lots of others have suffered or are suffering and you know perhaps I should get up and tell my story, to stop making it such a taboo subject.’
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall looked in excellent spirits as they sampled wine at a food market in Lyon on Tuesday
The Duchess held up her glass to the camera during a tasting session at one local stall
Camilla said it was hugely important to keep talking about the issue in order to break the taboo surrounding it.
‘If we don’t keep talking about it, it’s going to go on, it’s going to get worse,’ she said.
‘If we talk about it I think a lot of these women here were telling me they come out feeling stronger. I’ve always said you know they come out being victors not victims, which is the important thing.
‘And we’ve got to keep on talking about it because hopefully we can stop at some point, obviously not straightaway but the more it happens more people go to court.’
During her visit the Duchess played with a group of children whose mothers has fled domestic violence.
The children were playing an interactive game, and Camilla sank to her knees to join in, even chatting to them in a little school French.
The Duchess also talked with staff and supporters about the importance of teaching even school-age boys respect for women.
The couple broke into a fit of laughter as they watched a cooking demonstration at one stall
The duchess happily sampled a range of flavours of macaron during the visit to the market
‘It is taught in schools in the UK too,’ Camilla said. ‘It’s very important that it is.’
The charity currently supports 32 women and 68 children. Its director, Elisabeth Liotard, said they were ‘touched and honoured’ at the visit.
‘Hopefully it will help more women to have the confidence to come forward,’ she said.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Lyon on Tuesday morning after kicking off their five-day tour to France and Greece with a series of engagements in Nice yesterday.
This morning got off to a rather more sombre note as the royal couple paid their respects to fallen servicemen at a VE Commemoration.
The couple visited Lyon’s Parc Tête d’Or, where they were greeted by Georges Képénékian, Mayor of Lyon and David Kimelfeld, President of Lyon Metropolitan Area.
According to onlookers, the couple sampled some local cheese in between drinks
Evidently feeling merry after sampling some local wine, the pair appeared to be in high spirits
Chin chin! The pair broke out into fits of giggles as they quaffed on local wine
The royal visitors were followed by well-wishers who snapped photos on their phones
The Duchess of Cornwall looked interested in learning more from a local charcuterie stall
Charles and Camilla took time out of their busy schedule to taste the French wines
The Duchess of Cornwall, 70, looked smart in an off-white dress for the occasion
Camilla couldn’t resist sampling some of the local delicacies as they toured the food market
At one point the Duchess encouraged her husband to take a whiff of one of the herbs on display
During the ceremony, Charles laid a wreath before meeting veterans and schoolchildren who will have participated in the ceremony, as well as members of the public.
During the Second World War, Lyon’s location in the Southern zone made it a key city for Free France and it fulfilled a major role in the redeployment of administrative services from Paris.
On 11th November 1942, German troops invaded the Southern zone and occupied the city.
Camilla and Charles observe a moment of silence at Monday’s VE Commemorations, held at Lyon’s Parc TÍte d’Or on Tuesday morning
Paying his respects: During the ceremony, Charles laid a wreath (pictured) before meeting veterans and schoolchildren who will have participated in the ceremony
Clad in a navy pinstripe suit, the Prince of Wales looked to be in good spirits as he spoke to veterans as well as members of the public
The Germans and the Vichy auxiliary police, tracked down the members of the resistance and made many arrests. Today, the town centre war memorial is dedicated to resistance members rounded up by the Germans.
Every year, the town invites ex-combatants, resistance members and victims of World War II to the annual VE Day ceremony.
Flag bearers for the ceremony are ex-combatants and include British individuals bearing the United Kingdom and British Legion flags.
Next, the couple will visit the Les Halles Market Association and visit stalls selling cheese, charcuterie, wine, cakes, and chocolate, before viewing a cookery demonstration.
The Duchess of Cornwall, 70, wore a simple white dress which she teamed with leather courts and her trademark string of pearls
The couple were joined by dignitaries including Georges Képénékian, Mayor of Lyon and Mr David Kimelfeld, President of Lyon Metropolitan Area
They will also visit Interpol’s headquarters where they will view a plaque dedicated to police killed on duty before viewing the Command and Coordination Centre and meeting staff working across the illegal wildlife trade, modern slavery and works of art.
Charles will also visit the student population of the ISARA University in Lyon, which specialises in food and environmental studies while Camilla will visit a local charity providing assistance to women.
Camilla will wrap up her busy day with a visit to Emmaus, a charity that supports formerly homeless people by providing them with a home and helping them find work in social enterprises.
The Duchess has been a patron of Emmaus since 2006.
Charles looked to be in a reflective mood as he laid a wreath during Tuesday’s VE Day Commemorations, held at Lyon’s Parc Tete d’Or
Large crowds gathered around the monument this morning to pay their respects to those who lost their lives during WWII
The royal couple made the short journey from Nice to the medieval village of Eze yesterday afternoon after arriving in the South of France earlier on Monday.
Their first stop was to a monument paying tribute to the victims of the city’s Bastille Day terror attack.
Later this week, the couple will arrive in Athens where they will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier before receiving an official welcome at the Presidential Mansion and Prime Minister’s Residence.
During their stay in the Greek capital, the prince will also lay a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery before the couple carry out a number of other engagements to celebrate the UK and Greece’s longstanding maritime relationship.
Their first official tour of Greece will also celebrate youth opportunity and the countries’ charitable and education connections.