France Passes Consent-Based Rape Law Following Gisèle Pelicot Case

The new law follows the shocking mass drugging and rape case of the woman who said she wanted her story to ‘change society.’
France Passes Consent-Based Rape Law Following Gisèle Pelicot Case
Gisèle Pelicot and one of her lawyers, Stephane Babonneau (R), leave the Avignon courthouse in Avignon, France, on Dec. 16, 2024. Clement Mahoudeau/AFP via Getty Images
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French lawmakers unanimously voted through a new law to expand the definition of rape and other sexual assault as any non-consensual sex act.

The bill, approved Wednesday, follows the shocking drugging and mass rape trial of the former husband of Gisèle Pelicot and 50 other men, which turned her into a symbolic figure of the issue of sexual violence and led to a campaign for a more robust law around rape.

Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roberts
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Rachel Roberts is a London-based journalist with a background in local then national news. She focuses on health and education stories and has a particular interest in vaccines and issues impacting children.