France Advances Sweeping Sexual-Violence Law

Assembly backs specialised justice, victim safeguards and a €3 billion programme, but Senate approval still lies ahead

France’s National Assembly has approved an extensive legislative package intended to transform how public institutions prevent, investigate and prosecute sexual, gender-based and intrafamilial violence. The measures range from specialised police units and courts to stronger protection for victims and the removal of intimate material published online without consent. The bills must still pass the Senate before they can become law.

Deputies adopted the principal bill and a linked organic bill at first reading on 13 October. Both received 503 votes in favour and none against, while 67 deputies abstained. The result was therefore unanimous among the votes cast, although not among all participating deputies.

The breadth of that support is politically significant in France’s divided National Assembly. It does not, however, settle the legislation’s final content, cost or timetable. The government has placed the package under an accelerated procedure, which normally allows one reading in each chamber before lawmakers try to reconcile any differences.

A response across the institutional chain

The legislation is described as “comprehensive” because it addresses violence across policing, courts, healthcare, education, employment, family life and digital services. Its central premise is that victims often encounter several disconnected institutions and that failure at any point can prevent protection or accountability.

Under the provisional text adopted by the National Assembly, France would establish an independent authority to evaluate measures against sexual, gender-based and intrafamilial violence. It would publish information on judicial delays, convictions, sentence enforcement, access to protection and the human and financial resources committed by the state.

Police officers handling these cases would receive specialised training, while investigations would have to include a minimum set of steps before prosecutors decide how to proceed. These include hearing the victim with consent, assessing immediate danger and preserving physical and digital evidence. The bill also seeks to make services accessible to people with disabilities.

Its judicial provisions would create specialised functions for judges and prosecutors dealing with sexual and intrafamilial violence. A separate organic bill would amend rules governing the judiciary and require dedicated training for magistrates assigned to such cases.

The model is intended to reduce fragmentation rather than establish a justice system operating outside ordinary procedural guarantees. Defendants would retain their rights, while judges, prosecutors and investigators would acquire clearer responsibilities and specialist knowledge.

Protection beyond the courtroom

Several provisions focus on the experience of reporting abuse. Victims would be able to file complaints in healthcare institutions and, under an experimental scheme, at their workplace. The legislation would strengthen access to legal assistance and require victims to receive clearer information about procedures and support services.

Courts would also gain wider powers to issue protection orders. The text seeks to protect a victim’s access to housing and financial resources and to restrict the use of questions about previous sexual behaviour as purported evidence of consent.

For children, the package proposes safeguards against direct confrontation with an alleged perpetrator, except under tightly controlled circumstances. It also addresses the qualifications of experts involved in cases concerning minors and rejects assessments based on unsupported or discriminatory theories.

Digital abuse forms another substantial part of the legislation. Victims would be able to request the removal of intimate content circulated without their consent. Prosecutors and administrative authorities would receive routes to seek removal or blocking orders, reflecting the growing role of online distribution in prolonging sexual abuse and harassment.

The measures complement a wider European debate over the treatment of sexual harassment and violence. The European Parliament has previously argued that uneven definitions, reporting systems and victim services continue to obstruct an effective common response, as outlined in earlier European Times coverage of the EU’s post-MeToo record.

The budget will determine the law’s reach

The adopted package includes a proposed programme of €3 billion a year from 2027 to 2032 for policies addressing sexual, gender-based and intrafamilial violence. That figure is intended to support investigators, courts, healthcare, shelters, specialist associations and prevention programmes.

Whether those resources materialise remains uncertain. Annual spending must still be authorised through France’s state and social-security budgets. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu previously promised nearly €1.5 billion for the issue in 2027, a level the government described as broadly equivalent to 2026 spending. Specialist organisations said that amount would be insufficient to implement the package in full, according to reporting by the parliamentary channel LCP.

The gap between legal ambition and operational capacity is therefore central. Specialised courts require magistrates and staff. More thorough investigations require trained officers and forensic resources. Easier reporting will place greater demand on healthcare providers, legal-aid services and civil-society organisations already supporting victims.

The Senate can amend the bills, including their institutional design and financial commitments. Any disagreement would then move into negotiations between the two chambers. The organic legislation would also require review by France’s Constitutional Council before promulgation.

The Assembly vote is nevertheless an important political commitment. It recognises that sexual violence cannot be addressed solely by increasing penalties after an offence. Prevention, accessible reporting, competent investigations, protection and long-term support must operate together. Whether France delivers that system will depend on the final legislation and, just as importantly, the resources assigned to it.