The text provides for the extension of the limitation periods for sexual crimes against minors and the presumption of non-consent for children.
Speech is freed but now we must act. While on Twitter, the hashtag #balancetonpork raging, denouncing the sexual assaults of which women are victims on a daily basis, the government has announced the future presentation of a bill on the issue.
The text “against gender-based and sexual violence” will be submitted to Parliament next year, Marlène Schiappa announced in the columns The cross. The issue of violence against minors will be at the heart of the future law, explained the Secretary of State for Equality between women and men.
Non-consent of the child
The bill should thus “act on the extension” of the limitation periods for sexual crimes against minors and “establish a presumed non-consent” of children in matters of sexual relations, two subjects on which bills have already been proposed. filed.
The government thus wishes to establish a “minimum age below which a child or adolescent would be presumed not to consent to a sexual act.” As in almost all developed countries ”, pleaded Marlène Shiappa, who will pilot this file with the Minister of Justice, Nicole Belloubet.
The subject recently came to the fore with the referral to court for “sexual assault” and not “rape” of a 28-year-old man who had sex with an 11-year-old child. The justice indeed considered that the girl had not expressed an opposition allowing to consider that she was not consenting. Psychiatrists and civil society were shocked by this requalification and the question of the establishment of a presumption of non-consent for children then arose. It remains to be seen what age will be chosen to establish this presumption.
30 year statute of limitations for sex crimes
Still concerning sexual crimes against minors, the Secretary of State would like to increase to 30 years, counting from the majority of the victim, the limitation period, instead of 20 currently. According to Marlène Schiappa, extending this period could give victims more opportunity to express themselves.
“Becoming a parent can be eye-opening. We also know that having children of the same age as you when you were abused can free speech, ”she emphasizes. The victim would thus have up to 48 years to file a complaint concerning an event which would have taken place during his childhood or adolescence.
Street harassment
For the Secretary of State, “the idea is that society as a whole redefines what it accepts or not”. Marlène Schiappa therefore invites everyone to contribute to the text by participating in one of the 300 workshops organized as part of the “Tour de France for gender equality” launched at the beginning of October by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe.
In parallel, “a consultation with the actors of the sector (police officers, magistrates, etc) has just been launched”, writes The cross. A working group has also been considering the issue of street harassment since September.
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