Politics · France · 2 hrs ago
French lawmakers prepare vote on broad sexual violence bill
France’s National Assembly has finished debating a bill aimed at addressing sexual and gender-based violence against women and children.
Lawmakers are due to vote on the full bill on Tuesday, October 13, before it goes to the Senate.
The proposal follows years of campaigning by feminist and children’s rights groups.
It would create a specific criminal offence for incest and extend the definition to include first cousins.
It would also make sending sexual images without consent a specific offence, punishable by up to a year in prison and a €15,000 fine, with tougher penalties if the victim is a minor.
The bill also provides for specialist police units, but people would not have to use them for their case to remain valid.
Lawmakers rejected some proposed protections, including special leave for victims and a ban on ordering foreign victims who filed complaints to leave France.
French lawmakers are due to vote on a broad bill addressing sexual and sexist violence against women and children on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
The National Assembly completed its debates on the bill on Friday, 9 October.
The text includes a new specific offence for incest, approved unanimously by lawmakers.
It also creates offences for sending unsolicited sexual images and repeatedly tracking someone digitally without consent.
Some proposed measures were rejected, including a specific leave entitlement for victims and a bar on ordering foreign victims who filed complaints to leave France.
- Who
- Members of France’s National Assembly.
- What
- They are due to hold a formal vote on a bill addressing sexual and sexist violence against women and children.
- When
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
- Where
- France’s National Assembly.
- Why
- The bill aims to provide a comprehensive response to sexual and sexist violence against women and children.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Debates on the bill in the National Assembly ended.
Lawmakers are scheduled to hold a formal vote on the full text.
The bill is due to be sent to the Senate.
- Incest offence
- Approved unanimously by the National Assembly
- Unsolicited sexual images
- Up to one year in prison and a €15,000 fine
- Digital tracking
- A new offence targets repeated geolocation without consent
- Rejected provision
- A specific leave entitlement for victims of sexual violence
- Next step
- The bill is due to go to the Senate after the National Assembly vote
What people are saying
We have managed to preserve the integrity of the text submitted by the special committee.
No budget creation, zero.
Sources
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