The French government has proposed making 15 the age of consent for sex after two high-profile cases in which men escaped rape convictions despite having intercourse with 11-year-old girls.
It would be a first for France, which does not currently have an age of consent.
While the punishment for rape when a victim is younger than 15 carries a heftier penalty under French law (20 years), prosecutors must prove that the sex was forced.
As The New York Times explains , "In France, as long as 'violence, coercion, threat or surprise' is not proven, sexual intercourse with a minor — even one under 15 — is considered an atteinte sexuelle, which is an infraction and not a crime."
"The government has decided to set the age at 15," France's equality minister, Marlène Schiappa, announced Monday, according to Agence France-Presse.
The push to finally set an age of consent follows cases in recent months that have shocked the country.
In November, a 30-year-old man was acquitted of raping an 11-year-old girl because the court said there had been "no violence, coercion, threat or surprise."
In a similar case, also involving an 11-year-old girl, a man who was 28 at the time of the alleged offense faced lesser charges of sexual relations with a minor, but not rape.
"But last month the court reversed course and said the [28-year-old] man should indeed face rape charges, though it asked for the trial to be moved to a higher court."Since then lawmakers and child-protection groups have been urging the government to set a minimum age of consent, as is the case in many European countries, with suggested ages ranging from 13 to 15."
Reporting in December, NPR's Eleanor Beardsley said , "Another very recent case saw a middle school teacher get an eight-month suspended sentence after having a relationship with his 13-year-old student. The light punishment reflects the fact that the union was deemed consensual by the court."
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