French lawmakers gave final approval on Thursday to legislation setting the minimum age of sexual consent at 15, following a wave of allegations of sexual abuse and incest described as France’s second #MeToo movement.
In a second reading of the bill, members of the lower house of parliament voted unanimously to bring France’s consent laws in line with most other Western countries.
Under the legislation, sex with children under 15 is considered rape, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, unless there is a small age gap between the two partners.
The bill also makes it illegal for an adult to have sex with a relative aged under 18.
Under current French law, prosecutors had to prove that a minor was forced, threatened or tricked into having sex with an adult in order to bring charges of rape or sexual assault.
France 24
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