France's National Assembly Debates Major Sexual Violence Law Reform
France's National Assembly began debating a comprehensive sexual violence law reform bill.
Why it matters: Legal professionals need to follow these reforms as France addresses enforcement gaps in sexual and gender-based violence laws with new courts and protections.
- The bill contains 69 articles and addresses 800 amendments to enhance sexual violence laws.
- It proposes specialized courts, criminalizes incest, and mandates victim support centers nationwide.
- Over 100 lawmakers from multiple parties back the bill, introduced by Socialist MP Céline Thiébault-Martinez.
- The reform allocates 81.5 billion euros through 2027 and 83 billion euros annually from 2027 to 2032.
On October 1, 2026, the French National Assembly began debating a comprehensive bill aimed at reforming laws on sexual and gender-based violence. The bill includes 69 articles and responds to 800 amendments to tackle enforcement weaknesses.
This reform builds on earlier steps such as the October 2025 Senate-approved law that expanded the legal definition of rape to explicitly include lack of consent.
The new bill seeks to strengthen prosecution by creating specialized courts for sexual and domestic violence cases and by criminalizing incest as an independent offense. It also requires early victim identification, mandates investigative procedures before case dismissal, and obliges all administrative departments to establish victim support centers.
Supported by over 100 lawmakers from various parties and championed by Socialist MP Céline Thiébault-Martinez, the reform is declared a legislative priority by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
Data from 2023 shows 114,100 sexual violence victims were recorded, with 61,606 accused but just 6,356 convictions. Alexandra Nougarede, a union representative, notes victims face delays averaging 77 months between complaint filing and case resolution.
The reform includes a significant financial commitment: 81.5 billion euros allocated until 2027 to implement initial measures, with annual budgets rising to 83 billion euros from 2027 to 2032 to support enforcement and victim services.
Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Women's Foundation, emphasized ongoing efforts to secure full implementation with integrated funding, ensuring meaningful protections for survivors.
By the numbers:
- 114,100 — sexual violence victims recorded in 2023 in France
- 6,356 — convictions from 61,606 accused perpetrators in 2023
- 77 months — average time from rape complaint to case conclusion
What's next: The National Assembly will continue debates and amendments through late 2026 before final voting and Senate consideration in 2027.