Overview

• The French Parliament is actively debating a transpartisan proposal to redefine rape by explicitly including the absence of consent in its legal definition.
• Current French law defines rape based on violence, threat, coercion, or surprise, without addressing consent explicitly.
• The proposal specifies that consent must be 'free, informed, specific, prior, and revocable,' with amendments addressing concerns raised by critics.
• The Council of State has reassured critics that the investigative focus will remain on the accused, not the victim, and provided clarifications on interpreting silence and lack of resistance.
• Supporters argue the reform addresses societal attitudes and stereotypes about victims, while some critics question the need for the law and its focus on victim behavior.