A safe zone at the Nice Jazz Fest where you can find refuge in case of an attack

" I said no ." "You're annoying." "Need help?" These essential messages are written on small cards distributed in the Nice Jazz Fest safe zone.

A place to find information, but above all, a place to take refuge in the event of aggression, inappropriate comments, in short, if you don't feel well and need to take a breather.

"This is the first time that this system has been implemented at the NJF ," says Nathalie, the representative, an agent of the Metropolis. "Its purpose is to inform, prevent and act on all forms of violence."

It is well known that in gatherings where the crowd is compact, inappropriate behavior can be reported.

For example, on Friday, while the Lamomali collective of -M- was rocking the Masséna stage, a young man was removed from the audience within seconds by security guards because he allegedly touched a woman. The police arrived a few minutes later.

If reactions are rapid, prevention is also fundamental.

"We advise spectators to download the Safer app. If someone encounters a problem, they simply have to report it on the app and, thanks to geolocation, we intervene immediately ," recommends Nathalie. "In addition to the stand where people can take refuge, we patrol the entire site. We can call in emergency services as well as a psychologist to take care of any potential victims. All this thanks to the support of the Safer association, with which the Metropolis is collaborating on this project."

The entire safe zone team had been trained in advance to be able to welcome everyone's words and provide effective reassurance.

The Women's House, for the long term

For the first time, the Women's House is present at the NJF.

"It's a unit of the women-mother-child center of Archet 2, opening in September 2024. The objective is to support women who are victims of violence. To do this, we have put together a team of gynecologists, midwives, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and lawyers ," summarizes Dr. Marie Cid, herself a gynecologist. "It's important for us to be present at an event like this because we must bear in mind that one in ten women is a victim of violence. Many people come to see us saying they are taking information from a friend. It's difficult for a victim to speak out and take action."

Who should you contact then? "A teacher, a nurse, an association, 3919, but also a pharmacist or a doctor. The entry point is often through the medical sector ," notes Dr. Cid. "Pregnancy is a particular time when violence can erupt. As a gynecologist, I see this and, like my colleagues, I can spot it. We therefore try to support these women because the consequences can be very serious: physical, psychological but also in terms of health, such as cardiovascular risks."

The Women's House (1) also supports victims of genital mutilation: "We accept unconditionally, including people who do not have social security cover. Migrants can therefore contact us to support them with the procedures and care."

(1) The structure is located at the Archet hospital but will move to the city in 2026. To contact it: 04.92.03.21.10. by email [email protected] or near the safe zone on the Nice Jazz fest site.