France advances legislation to combat sexual and gender-based violence

The French National Assembly is moving forward with a significant legislative proposal to combat sexual and gender-based violence against women and children. The text has expanded considerably, growing from 69 to over 110 articles during the debate process. Key measures include establishing a minimum standard for investigations to prevent the premature dismissal of complaints, creating specialized police units and judicial jurisdictions, and implementing mandatory annual interviews in schools starting in 2032 to identify violence. Additionally, the law aims to provide dedicated care pathways for minor victims.

A specific component of the legislation involves addressing gynecological and obstetrical violence by incorporating these terms into the public health code. This measure seeks to strengthen the requirements for explicit consent during invasive or intimate medical procedures and to penalize the denial of patient pain. While medical consent is already a legal requirement under existing law, this article aims to make these rights more concrete in practice by requiring differentiated consent for specific acts.

Despite broad cross-party support, challenges remain regarding the law's financing, which is estimated to cost several billion euros annually. The legislation must also pass through the more conservative French Senate, which may lead to further modifications of the text.