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Bill Filed in French Senate to End Time Limits on Child Sex Crimes, Create Specific Incest Offense

Backers cite trauma‑delayed disclosure to justify scrapping time limits, with the text now awaiting either a Senate slot or inclusion in a government framework law.

Overview

  • Centrist senator Annick Billon filed the proposal on November 19, drawing on recommendations issued in 2023 by the independent Ciivise commission.
  • The draft would abolish statutes of limitation for rape and sexual assault committed against minors, establish a dedicated Penal Code article for incest, and expand the legal definition to include first cousins.
  • Victim and child‑protection organizations such as Face à l’Inceste, Fondation pour l’Enfance and Planning Familial publicly support the initiative.
  • Legal experts and some Ciivise members voice concerns about the reliability of decades‑old evidence, the risk of dismissals or acquittals, and added strain on investigators and prosecutors.
  • Supporters point to scale and impact, citing an estimated 160,000 child victims each year, fewer than 1% of incest rape or assault complaints resulting in conviction, and a current filing window that extends only to age 48.