Monsieur

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project © Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project © Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project View all images ↓
View all images ↓
  • Dates
    2018 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Location France, France

Many stories have been told about domestic violence, but we have been excluding one key character from the conversation. Men.

“Monsieur” is a project about men attending the only rehabilitation center in France for perpetrators of domestic violence. All of them have either been sentenced or have acknowledged the facts of domestic violence. The center helps them to find the right keys to reintegrate society as a better person, husband & citizen.

Studies on IPV (Inter Partner Violence) have notably highlighted a relation between domestic violence and addiction but also psychology triggers that could be better controlled to avoid violent behaviours. Yet, only few places exist to take care of IPV perpetrators.

Perpetrators’ guilt is obvious, their dehumanisation less. Reality is more complex and various typologies of perpetrators, victims and violence exist.

In order to approach that complexity, I am articulating this project through portraits of the perpetrators and images of their daily life in the center with the aim to outline their psychological states and to explore their paths towards rehabilitation.

"Monsieur" is a French word that literally means "My Lord" but is used to politely refer to a male person, an equivalent of "Mister" in English. At the centre every perpetrator is being called "Monsieur" by all the social workers to insist on the seriousness of the situation and establish a sign of mutual respect and adulthood.

The project started 10 months ago and is still on-going, I am starting now to explore the life of perpetrators that have been released from the center to follow on their reintegration to society and sometimes their return to the household.

I believe that we need to bring back men in the general awareness about domestic violence to better understand the human issue behind and invest in better fixing humans.

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"The Centre" - Rare in France, a governmental association offers a rehabilitation program for perpetrators of domestic violence. In partnership with the local judicial, social and police services, the program aims to achieve long-term reintegration to society and to prevent repeated offences.

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Hands on the table" - Perpetrators’ guilt is obvious, their dehumanisation less. Reality is more complex and various typologies of perpetrators, victims and violence exist. All of the perpetrators in the centre have either been sentenced or acknowledged the facts of domestic violence.

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"This is not freedom" - The centre actually offers a psycho-educative alternative to imprisonment. Residents are remanded here based on court ruling and they have to comply with judicial supervision.

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Monsieur Jean-François" - He arrived at the centre in December 2018, and will stay for about 9 months within the center in order to serve the rest of his sentence and learn how to better control his feelings of anger, that have led him to violence against his ex-partner. He is the father of a little girl for whom he wants to start over a new life.

© Clea Rekhou - "The remote control"
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"The remote control"

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"I slapped her" - One resident in his room explaining how he gave in to violence and slapped his wife's face. What brings people to be violent? Here in the centre, we can notice that it often finds roots in perpetrators background and history or is the result of a strong addiction. But in many cases it is also a couple issue and the wrong reaction to years of cumulated frustrations and lack of communication. Sometimes all of those triggers are found and contribute to the deeds of violence.

© Clea Rekhou - "The isolated bush"
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"The isolated bush"

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Monsieur Raphaël" - "I could have killed her […] if only you knew how much I regret. Alcohol drained me into this". He is today released from the centre but continues to attend a program to fight against his alcohol addiction. His ex-partner has recently expressed the wish to get back in touch and to progressively rebuild a life together.

© Clea Rekhou - "Morning coffee"
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"Morning coffee"

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Regrets" - Monsieur Raphaël sitting on his bed, overwhelmed with emotions while telling his story and explaining how much violence he used against his partner. Perpetrators of domestic violence in the region are not always remanded and accepted in the centre as not all of them are suitable for the scope of the program and willing to start a work on themselves.

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Monsieur Jean-Pierre" - Monsieur Jean-Pierre entered the centre after beating his daughter in front of his wife. It was the first time he got violent, he could have killed his daughter. Despite recognising all the facts and after several months at the centre, he got released looking back at the deeds with the conviction that it was the unavoidable reaction to years of anger and frustrations.

© Clea Rekhou - "The tooth"
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"The tooth"

© Clea Rekhou - "The diner"
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"The diner"

© Clea Rekhou - "The television"
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"The television"

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Monsieur Gregory" - Monsieur Gregory was remanded to the centre for a very short period of time. He was sentenced and first imprisoned. After agreeing with his wife on a return to the household at the end of his jail time, it was decided to have him operate a transition time at the centre and prepare the return to the common life. It is actually common for perpetrators of domestic violence to return within the household with their partner. The challenge is to allow a smooth return that is agreed by both sides, in a sound way that permits to avoid recidivism.

© Clea Rekhou - "The link"
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"The link"

© Clea Rekhou - "A roll of cigarette"
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"A roll of cigarette"

© Clea Rekhou - "The way up"
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"The way up"

© Clea Rekhou - Image from the Monsieur photography project
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"Monsieur Patrice" - After a drinking night, he gave in to violence against his partner in front of his daughter. He confessed right away to the police and is today investing himself into building sound basis for him and his two children. The priority was to find a job again then a new housing to welcome his children who were placed in foster care after the sentence. However, the efforts for a rehabilitation are also psychological. Domestic violence often happens to be the outcome of a lack of communication and accumulated frustrations. The role of a psychologist is essential and the center organises both individual and group sessions once a week. Once released, many perpetrators voluntarily continue to follow a psychological support.

© Clea Rekhou - "A home"
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"A home"

Monsieur by Clea Rekhou

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