This video examines the choice of words used to describe people who have experienced sexual violence, particularly the increasing use of the term "survivor" instead of "victim." Behind this lexical shift lies a major symbolic, political, and legal issue.
In French, the word "survivor" historically and culturally refers to a near-death experience: terrorist attacks, disasters, extermination camps. Its use to refer to sexual violence is a direct import from English. survivor, whose meaning is different and refers more to a posture of resilience or combativeness. This literal translation creates confusion between the symbolic and the real registers.
Systematically labeling victims of sexual violence as "survivors" places them within a narrative of death, or even "psychic murder"—a metaphorical expression sometimes used clinically, but which, taken literally, obscures the true meaning. This lexical overuse can intensify the trauma, trap individuals in an imposed identity, and hinder the healing process.
The video serves as a reminder that precise language is essential for justice, prevention, and support. The law clearly distinguishes between the two statuses: complainant, then victim once the harm has been acknowledged. The term "victim" is neither weak nor stigmatizing: it grants rights, allows for the recognition of harm, and provides access to redress and care.
Finally, the use of excessive or imprecise language fails to convey the gravity of sexual violence; it distorts understanding and undermines the rule of law. Respecting victims means offering them the right words, words that acknowledge the violence they have suffered without mythologizing it, and that leave open the possibility of an identity that is not defined solely by trauma.