Verbalized for the purchase of menstrual protections

Several women were fined for the purchase of a pregnancy test or periodical protection because the police did not consider them to be essential items.

On March 17, the government established containment throughout the country to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Covid-19. Schools, bars, restaurants and all places "not essential " to the life of the French closed their doors. The population is strongly invited to reduce their outings. Derogatory travel certificates were then put in place. Only certain reasons such as going to your doctor, playing sports or even making essential purchases are authorized.

However, several people were fined 135 euros for traveling to buy women's products like a pregnancy test or menstrual protection. The police did not consider them to be essential items.

Anger on social media

Several women gave their testimony on social networks, in particular Tweetr, after being verbalized or reprimanded by the police for the purchase of female products. "I asked my darling to bring me sanitary towels on Monday evening, he was in good standing, certificate, identity card etc … but he received a € 135 fine 'because if madam really needed it she than go out and get them herself '"says @Georgette_Sand. "I went out to buy sanitary napkins and there a cop stopped me and wanted to verbalize me because it is not" vital "? So people who line up on 50m for cigarettes, it's ok, but a girl who wants to buy tampons is a scandal ???????", says @buesheel. "So there a friend of my boyfriend went to buy tampons and got a fine because according to the cop it is not vital ???????"said @lisaaliseaa in turn. "@EmmanuelMacron so we can get a fine because the sanitary napkins or tampons are not essential products. Is this a joke? And in addition we would have to go to the store in person? Very obvious when is bent in pain. ", rebels @FrenchFictions.

Some even go so far as to suggest grandmother's methods of determining a possible pregnancy for those who are afraid of being verbalized.

Purchases yet authorized

It is advisable to anticipate your needs when you travel to do your shopping. However, an oversight can happen to everyone. In case of an emergency, it is quite possible to go out to get basic necessities including tampons and other menstrual protections.. It is in particular for this reason that in 2015, France voted for the VAT on hygienic protections to drop from 20% to 5.5%.

Marlène Schiappa, the secretary of state for equality between women and men, said that he was allowed to go to a pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test, medicines or a contraceptive pill. For his part, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, said that"no woman in France can be prevented from accessing contraception "even during confinement.

“It's going to bleed”: the call to let the blood flow from the rules to fight against menstrual precariousness


Video by Juliette Le Peillet

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