France: Child sex laws for review after controversial cases

France is to consider a change to its laws around sexual consent, according to the minister for gender equality.  Marlene Schiappa said the government was considering setting a fixed age below which sex was automatically a serious offence. It comes after two cases where men were acquitted of raping two 11 year old girls. In […]

France is to consider a change to its laws around sexual consent, according to the minister for gender equality. 

Marlene Schiappa said the government was considering setting a fixed age below which sex was automatically a serious offence.

It comes after two cases where men were acquitted of raping two 11 year old girls.

In France the age of consent is 15, but prosecutors still have to prove sex was non-consensual to prove rape. 

Despite its age of consent, France currently does not have any law which defines sex with someone below a fixed age as rape.

Currently in France if there is no violence or coercion proved, people may only be charged with sexual abuse of a minor and not rape – this has a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of €75,000 (£66,000; $87,000).