US EditionFrance Steps Closer to Defining Rape as Lack of Consent
- On 19 June 2025, the French Senate approved a bill that updates the criminal code to categorize rape and sexual assault based on the absence of consent.
- This vote followed debates sparked by a court case involving Dominique Pélicot’s conviction for drugging his ex-wife to enable rape by others.
- The bill broadens the definition of sexual assault to include any act carried out without consent, which is characterized as voluntary, well-understood, clearly expressed in advance, able to be withdrawn, and cannot be assumed from a lack of response.
- Equality Minister Aurore Bergé emphasized that consent should be understood not simply as the absence of refusal, but as a clear and voluntary agreement given without any pressure or uncertainty, describing the vote as an important advancement.
- The bill aligns France with several European countries and aims to better hold perpetrators accountable despite concerns about potential burdens on victims and investigators.
47 Articles
47 Articles
On Wednesday evening, 18 June, the Senate agreed to include the concept of non-consent in the criminal definition of rape and other sexual assault. After the adoption of the text by the National Assembly in April, a parliamentary consensus seems to be emerging. The text must now be debated in a joint committee, bringing together senators and deputies, with a view to final adoption.The bill redefines all sexual assaults, including rape, as "any u…
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France steps closer to adding consent to legal definition of rape
The French Senate has passed a bill that would change the legal definition of rape to add a clear reference to consent, bringing the country in line with several European neighbours. A joint committee of senators and lower-house MPs is now expected to draft a joint text prior to its final adoption.
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