2024 Anne Beffort Prize awarded to the associations "Taboo" and "Les Voix des Survivant(e)s"

On Thursday, 5 December 2024, at a ceremony held at Luxembourg City Hall, the City of Luxembourg's College of the Mayor and Aldermen awarded the 2024 Anne Beffort Prize to the associations "Taboo" and "Les Voix des Survivant(e)s", which were represented by their respective Chairs, Anne Metzler and Marie-Laure Rolland. Among those in attendance were the members of the City's Advisory Committee on Gender Equality.

In awarding the 2024 Anne Beffort Prize – awarded in recognition of work in "preventing and combating gender-based violence", i.e. acts of violence based on victims' gender, gender identity or sexual orientation – the College of Aldermen wished to recognise and support the work of associations involved in combating all forms of domestic and sexual violence.

Two award-winning associations: "Taboo" and "Les Voix des Survivant(e)s"

In awarding the 2024 Anne Beffort Prize – a prize awarded in recognition of work in the field of "preventing and combating gender-based violence", that is to say, acts of violence based on victims' gender, gender identity or sexual orientation –, the College of Aldermen wished to draw attention to and signal its recognition of the commitment displayed by associations involved in combating all forms of domestic and sexual violence.

"Taboo" – which was founded in 2019 – was a natural choice for the Anne Beffort Prize, in recognition of its work to break down taboos, bring the issue of domestic and sexual violence out into the open, and demystify the feelings of shame experienced by victims of domestic and post-separation abuse. Through its awareness-rasing and prevention work, and its policy of providing victims with moral support, Taboo stood out as a worthy recipient of this distinction. As an advocate for victims since 2022, "Les Voix des Survivant(e)s" was recognised for its work in supporting a separate bill on combating gender-based violence, and raising awareness of its impact on children who are co-victims. The association also seeks to remedy the dysfunctional relationships in which their members find themselves or are witness to, and is intent on playing an active role in drafting the Government's future National Action Plan to combat gender-based violence, by promoting this cause as a national priority – a stance which is broadly welcomed across the entire political spectrum.