France’s government wants to set the age of sexual consent at 15 and make it easier to punish long-ago child sexual abuse, amid growing public pressure and a wave of online testimonies about rape and…
France shows willingness to finally set age of consent, at 15
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12/02/2021 - 15:56 A decade-long quest for justice by a woman alleging rape by a group of firefighters has triggered a wave of support and protests Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP/File 4 min The French government says it is favourable to fixing the age of sexual consent at 15 and making it easier to punish child sexual abuse, after growing public pressure and a series of high-profile cases of incest, rape and sexual abuse. Advertising Read more
France’s lack of an age of consent, as well as time limits for pressing charges, have made it more difficult to prosecute alleged perpetrators of sexual violence and incest. Recent cases have included a prominent modelling agent, a predatory priest, a surgeon and a group of firefighters.
11 Feb 2021
PARIS (AP) – France’s government wants to set the age of sexual consent at 15 and make it easier to punish long-ago child sexual abuse, amid growing public pressure and a wave of online testimonies about rape and other sexual violence by parents and authority figures.
Child protection activists and victims celebrated the announcement, but say France needs to do more as a society to stop this abuse.
France’s lack of an age of consent – along with statutes of limitations – have complicated efforts to prosecute alleged perpetrators, including recent cases involving a prominent modeling agent, a predatory priest, a surgeon and a group of firefighters accused of systematic abuse.