Overview
- France’s Senate approved the bill after the National Assembly passed it 155–31, with opposition only from far-right lawmakers.
- The reform defines rape and sexual assault as any non-consensual sexual act and specifies that silence or lack of reaction does not constitute consent.
- Consent is codified as freely given, informed, specific, prior and revocable, and the text reiterates that there is no consent under violence, coercion, threat or surprise.
- The measure completes parliamentary adoption and will take effect upon official publication, bringing France in line with several European countries that already use consent-based standards.
- Advocacy groups welcomed the change but urged robust implementation, including police and judicial training, expanded victim services, and comprehensive sex education.