The City of Lyon has announced plans to create an emergency aid fund for victims of sexual and gender-based violence, according to recent reports. The initiative was announced by Mayor Grégory Doucet during a meeting of officials, which was called in response to a rape complaint filed against a collaborator of his mayoral election rival, Jean-Michel Aulas. Doucet emphasized that it is no longer acceptable for such violence to go unchecked, noting that many incidents and crimes remain unreported or unpunished. He cited statistics showing that in 2023, 277,000 women in France reported experiencing rape or sexual assault. Under the proposed measures, the city plans to establish a municipal fund to assist victims with immediate needs, such as changing locks, covering hotel stays, or paying for moving expenses. The city also aims to increase the availability of emergency housing for victims. Additionally, it intends to extend a policy already in place in the sports sector—requiring organizations receiving municipal subsidies to undergo training on preventing sexual and gender-based violence—to all associations seeking such funding. These initiatives are part of a broader action plan, which a working group of officials from different political parties must finalize by the summer of 2027. The meeting came in the wake of a scandal in Jean-Michel Aulas’ campaign team in June, when a young activist accused the team’s communications director of raping her using chemical means in January. The accused has denied the claim. Although the woman filed a formal complaint in May, she had previously alerted the former president of Olympique Lyonnais, a football club, as early as February. However, the campaign director was not removed from his position, and no legal action was taken at the time. Aulas, who faced criticism for how he handled the situation, stepped down from his role as a municipal councilor. Upon his return to City Hall, Aulas gave a speech on the "responsibility" of officials to "listen" to complaints and "protect" victims, acknowledging that certain behaviors related to sexual and gender-based violence have been normalized, silenced, or excused in the past. He called for officials to better identify and respond to such issues. However, his comments reportedly caused some unease among the municipal councilors, highlighting the sensitivity of the topic and the ongoing challenges in addressing it effectively.