Gala smiles, impeccable facades. This veneer can hide wounds. Prestige does not immunize against control. Love, glory, beauty, and fear.
Following the speech by Alexandra Rosenfeld, former Miss France, who described on September 3, 2025 in Quotidien a relationship marked by violence and control attributed to chef Jean Imbert), this article sheds light on what women mostly experience in relationships. It puts into perspective the accounts of other former partners and explains the mechanisms. Additionally, it recalls the available support resources. Then, it addresses procedural guarantees at the end of the text.
"What is not seen": what Alexandra Rosenfeld recounts
On the set of Quotidien, Alexandra Rosenfeld described a relationship from the early 2010s where, she says, repeated humiliations gradually structured daily life: denigration of her social origins, criticism of her loved ones, comments on her appearance or activities. She locates the heart of the violence in psychological harm: less about blows, more about constant belittlement that undermines self-esteem.
The former Miss France also recounts the intrusion into her private life. Furthermore, she describes the insistent presence outside her home. Additionally, this occurs in the common areas of the building and near her daughter’s school. Finally, there are calls to her mother. She also claims to have suffered a blow to the face, resulting in a broken nose, an episode the person concerned disputes. Beyond the alleged fact, she highlights the difficulty of breaking up: "you leave and come back," she explains in essence, with control making separation precarious and always threatened with reversal.
This testimony from a survivor of domestic violence, rare among media personalities, is valuable less for its sensationalism than for the insight it provides into a still poorly understood phenomenon: how violence can settle in quietly, then constrain.
Domestic violence testimonies: similar patterns described by former partners
Alexandra Rosenfeld’s account is part of a chorus of testimonies. Lila Salet, a former partner, filed a complaint for domestic violence and kidnapping for events she places in 2012-2013. In the media, she spoke of insidious remarks, intense jealousy, and a hardening of behaviors. Other women also mention psychological violence and, for some, physical harm. The person concerned disputes these accounts and has announced he will step back from his activities during the investigation.
Beyond their nuances, these testimonies point to the same mechanism: establishing devaluation (criticism, sarcasm), tightening the noose (surveillance, intrusions, isolation), alternating gestures of affection and latent threats. This alternation produces stupor and uncertainty that make breaking up difficult.
Understanding control: from coercive control to isolation
In the definition of domestic violence, control refers to coercive control: more than an episode, a system. It is expressed through repeated behaviors: criticism, humiliation, control of movements, restricted access to resources, physical or digital intrusions, emotional blackmail. The goal is to obtain compliance by weakening the person’s autonomy.
This framework explains several apparent paradoxes:
- "Why doesn’t she leave?" The cycle of tension – explosion – justification – honeymoon maintains hope and fear. Sometimes, reactions under control, known as "reactive abuse," occur. Thus, leaving often exposes one to an escalation.
- "Why are there no visible proofs?" Psychological violence leaves few material traces but permanently alters mental health (anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder).
- "Why speak out years later?" Stupor and shame delay speaking out. Moreover, some procedures expire over time. Additionally, the words of a known person can free other accounts.
A massive and gendered phenomenon
In France, security services recorded about 271,000 victims in 2023 for intrafamilial violence. Additionally, this violence also concerns those within the couple, with about 85% being women. The same year, 119 people died from blows within the couple. Among them, 96 women lost their lives. Thus, this represents one death every three days. Associations emphasize that only a fraction of victims report the facts: the "dark figure" remains high.
This violence takes several forms: physical, sexual, verbal/psychological, economic (control of money, imposed debt), and administrative (retention of documents, obstacles). They affect children, even without direct blows, through exposure to scenes of aggression, with documented psychological consequences.
Framing, protecting, documenting: what to do and who to contact
- In immediate danger? Call 17 (police/gendarmerie) or 112.
- Listening, advice, guidance: 3919 (free, anonymous, 24/7), operated by trained professionals.
- Comprehensive support: 116 006 (France Victimes) for psychological and legal assistance.
- Protection measures: The family court judge can issue a protection order. It includes contact prohibitions, housing allocation, and measures for children. In case of danger, an anti-approach bracelet can be used. Depending on the department, a high-risk phone is also available.
- Building a case: Medically document (doctor, ideally UMJ), keep messages and screenshots, photos of injuries, certificates, testimonies from relatives, dates and places.
- Local support: CIDFF, municipal social action centers, justice and law houses, specialized associations.
The goal is not only penal: it is also about securing the present (housing, distancing, children) and preparing for the future (care, work, financial autonomy).
The impact of public testimony
When a known person testifies, the media echo can be ambivalent: it frees other voices and puts pressure on institutions, but it can also overheat the public space, with denigration campaigns, doxing, or trials on social networks. Hence the importance of a sober treatment: recalling what is established, what is alleged, what is under investigation.
In this case, the main contribution of Alexandra Rosenfeld’s testimony lies in the pedagogy of reality: describing micro-aggressions, the alternation of threats and excuses, the fear during the breakup, the mental and administrative burden to protect oneself. These elements, confirmed by other accounts, reveal a continuum of violence. Too often, it is taken seriously only when a tragedy occurs.
Legal framework: what the law says about psychological violence
The Penal Code sanctions violence within the couple "regardless of its nature," including psychological. Conjugal moral harassment constitutes a specific offense. Indeed, it involves repeated actions aimed at a deterioration of living conditions. Moreover, it affects physical or mental health. Penalties are aggravated in the presence of a minor or in case of incapacity. There are also offenses of threats, harassment, and malicious calls. Furthermore, there is intrusion into the home or attacks on information systems. This includes digital spying and geolocation.
On the civil side, the protection order allows for rapid measures. Thus, it helps prevent recurrence and stabilize the situation of victims and children. In practice, access to rights is often the crux: hence the need for specialized support from the first signals.
And justice in all this? Guarantees and responsibilities (to read last)
Because a state of law does not stop at indignation, it is necessary to recall the procedural guarantees. At the end of the process, this proves essential. In the case involving Jean Imbert, the reported facts remain alleged, complaints have been filed, an investigation is open, and the person concerned disputes. The presumption of innocence fully applies until a possible court decision. It does not diminish the seriousness of the accounts, but it protects the adversarial process. Moreover, it ensures the search for evidence and the proportionality of public reactions.
The responsibility of the media and readers is to inform and be informed without creating a parallel court. Furthermore, the responsibility of public authorities is to offer clear and effective protection pathways. The collective responsibility, finally, is to listen without minimizing, to name without excess, and to support those who, like Alexandra Rosenfeld and other former partners, take the risk of speaking out.
Useful resources: 3919 (24/7), 116 006 (France Victimes), justice.fr (Protection order), CIDFF, UMJ.