Aline Peugeot was beaten every day for 7 years. From this period, she retains serious physical consequences. She therefore embarked on a quest: to have domestic violence recognized by Social Security.
Life has not been kind to Aline. The one who was however adopted by the Peugeot family, one of the richest in France, experienced alcoholism, prostitution and domestic violence. At the time, she was a young mother who prostituted herself, and whose father had left her daughter. A friend then makes her believe that she can confide in him. He will in fact be his executioner for 7 years. Frightened at the idea of filing a complaint against him and of his revenge, she suffered the situation. It is only after years of physical violence that she meets the man to whom she is married and who allowed her to rebuild herself as a woman… Beyond appearances.
Partially disfigured and at more than 50 years old, Aline Peugeot is now fighting a fierce fight so that the injuries inflicted on victims of domestic violence can be reimbursed by Social Security.
The personal development coach came back with us on her state of health and the difficulties she went through to have surgery and reimburse her care. “The first blepharoplasty (operation to raise the drooping eyelid, editor’s note) that I did was 100% covered by social security at the time, because they were doing tests for peripheral vision and by dint of making me type above, I had lost visibility. So, I had been refunded. It’s great, but the rest then?“, she asks.
The physical consequences of victims of domestic violence
“I was beaten for 7 years, always on the same side, and since I have a facial nerve injury on the left side. I also have all the maxillary sinuses that have been crushed with constant ENT problems and a lot of pain. My hair has been pulled out in clumps and it’s not growing back. I also had a split eardrum and forehead fractures“, enumerates the fifty-year-old with resilience. The terrible consequences of these years of domestic violence, which she is now trying to hide, at cost: “When I get quotes for hair transplants, it’s considered aesthetic, so it’s up to me to pay out of pocket.“. A situation that puts her beside herself.
“You have to share things between a request for surgery which is purely aesthetic and a request which is a right of repair“, explains Aline Peugeot. According to the codification of Social Security, certain surgical procedures are reimbursable (reconstructive surgery) while others are not (cosmetic surgery).
A code that would penalize the victims, according to Aline Peugeot. “As I cannot afford to pay for so-called cosmetic operations for a facelift on the side where my face sags, I have to resort to alternatives.” and add: “to compensate for a facial nerve that no longer does its job, I put on tensor threads and that’s aesthetic. I have to put in my pocket and it’s overpriced“. According to the aesthetic center Laz Esthic, a tensor thread costs 150 euros. For the face, it is often recommended between 3 and 4 threads, i.e. a total of almost 600 euros to come out of his pocket.
Towards better care for victims
The coach recalls that once the psychological work has been started, or completed, there is also the test of the mirror: “When we look in the mirror we constantly have before us a face that is asymmetrical, a side that sags and that sends us back to this past that we have the right not to see spread out every day.“. Aline Peugeot therefore wanted to raise awareness about the fate of people disfigured or disabled by the blows of a violent spouse.
On September 3, 2022, she is expected at the first national assizes against feminicides, which will take place in Paris. His will: that the word of the victims be equal “in the years of study“of those who legislate:”It’s us (the victims, editor’s note) the alchemists in fact. We can very well turn the lead of our past into gold, by sharing our experiences and helping to find solutions together.“.
Today, Aline Peugeot is trying to demonstrate that peace of mind also involves peace with yourself and your image.
As a social journalist, I work on all subjects related to feminism, news items and the fight against discrimination. Equally affected by the crises that follow…