France Approves Landmark Bill Redefining Rape: A New Era for Consent
France's Senate is set to approve a new bill defining rape as any non-consensual sexual act, inspired by the trial of Gisele Pelicot. The move aligns France with other European nations emphasizing consent. The bill highlights sexual acts without freely given consent as assaults, aiming to combat rape culture.
- Country:
- France
The French Senate is poised to approve a groundbreaking bill that redefines rape as any sexual act without explicit consent. This legislative move follows the dramatic and landmark trial of Gisele Pelicot, which jolted France and spotlighted the pervasive issue of rape culture.
The bill pushed by lawmakers Marie-Charlotte Garin and Veronique Riotton is set to standardize consent as freely given, informed, specific, and revocable, stressing that consent cannot be inferred from a victim's silence. The law comes in response to Pelicot's harrowing ordeal, where her ex-husband and 50 others were convicted for chemical submission and sexual assault.
Upon the Senate's final approval, France will join its European neighbors in adopting consent-based rape laws. This decisive action takes aim at shifting societal views, challenging harmful portrayals in pornography, and addressing misconceptions about consent that contribute to the propagation of rape culture.
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