After decades of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, a French mother of four was sentenced to one year in prison for killing her husband. Having already spent time in preventive detention, the verdict allows her to walk free. In light of long-held taboos around domestic abuse, the case attracted broad attention and support for the defendant.
Daniel Polette was shot to death in 2016 by Valerie Bacot, 40. The stepfather, Polette , forced her into prostitution after he married her. Chalon-sur-Saone, in central France, convicted Bacot of murder. A one-year prison sentence and a three-year suspended sentence were imposed on her. Bacot’s prosecutor had earlier asked not to send her to prison, saying she did not pose a threat to society.
After the verdict, Bacot told reporters she had been prepared to go to jail that evening, but would now be returning home to her children and granddaughter. She thanked people for their support and stated: ‘A new fight begins now for all the other women and against all abuse’.There was a large crowd outside the courthouse cheering and shouting ‘Bravo’ as she left, escorted by her lawyers.
As a result of the trial, Polette – 25 years elder than Bacot – demonstrated his power and influence over her. As her mother’s companion, Polote entered Bacot’s life in 1992. She said that a few months later, the abuse began. He began raping her at the age of 12. After Polette’s sisters contacted a social worker, he was arrested in 1995 and convicted of sexual assault, spending two years in jail. Polette then returned to the family home and began abusing Bacot once again.
After being raped, Bacot says she became pregnant at 17 and her mother threw her out of the house. Bacot moved into a house with Polette, whom she said had total control over her life. In addition, he prohibited her from working or using contraception. She also had three other children. ‘He slapped, then punched, then throttled me,’ she said, adding that he threatened her with a handgun. She was forced into prostitution in 2002, still under his control.
She shot Polette in March 2016 after a violent prostitution-related incident. A suspended prison sentence was given to her children for helping her bury the body. The police arrested Bertot the following year, imprisoned him for two years, then released him under judicial supervision the following year. According to the psychologist who examined her, Bacot’s reaction was driven by protecting her children.
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A year ago, she was worried Polette would abuse her 14-year-old daughter and force her into prostitution. A petition supporting Bacot has garnered more than 710,000 signatures. Family members attended the court hearing to say that they don’t regret Polette’s death. According to his brothers and sisters, he was a monster. The Associated Press doesn’t usually name victims of extreme abuse, but Bacot has told her story.
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