France outlaws sex with children aged under 15 | Inquirer News

France outlaws sex with children aged under 15

/ 06:31 AM April 16, 2021

France outlaws sex with children aged under 15

A general view shows the hemicycle during the questions to the government session at the National Assembly in Paris amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in France, January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

PARIS  The French parliament on Thursday adopted legislation that characterizes sex with a child under the age of 15 as rape and punishable by up to 20 years in jail, bringing its penal code closer in line with many other Western nations.

While the age of consent was previously 15, prosecutors in France used to be required to prove sex was non-consensual to obtain a rape conviction.

Article continues after this advertisement

“This is a historic law for our children and our society,” Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told the National Assembly.

FEATURED STORIES

“No adult aggressor will be able to claim the consent of a minor younger than 15-years-old.”

The vote in favor of the bill was unanimous at its final reading, the Assembly said on Twitter.

Article continues after this advertisement

There had been concerns from some lawmakers that an age of consent below which sex automatically constituted rape might criminalize a consensual sexual relationship between a minor and a person only a few years older.

Article continues after this advertisement

As a consequence, a “Romeo and Juliet” clause was placed allowing for sexual relations between a minor and an individual up to five years older. The clause will not apply in cases of sexual assault.

Article continues after this advertisement

The legislation also considers incestuous sex with a minor under 18 to be rape.

In a country that has long cherished its self-image as the land of seduction and romance, sexual abuse against women and children for years went undetected or undeclared in the upper echelons of power and within celebrity circles.

Article continues after this advertisement

But there has been much soul-searching in recent years.

The #MeToo movement that swept around the world after numerous women in 2017 accused U.S. movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault proved a turning point in France. So too did the fall from grace in 2020 of a French writer who had written openly about his pedophilia.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

France had already toughened its sex crimes laws in 2018 when it outlawed sexual harassment on the streets, leaving cat-callers and aggressively lecherous individuals facing potential on-the-spot fines.

TAGS: Children, Crime, France, law, Rape, Sexual abuse

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.