After dozens of men were convicted of raping a drugged Gisèle Pelicot, lawmakers moved to require that consent be given for sex to be considered consensual.
Many countries require that consent be given before sex — and have written that into their rape laws. France is not among them.
Now, two lawmakers hope to change that. Debate has begun on their bill, and a vote, in the powerful lower house of the French Parliament, is expected on Tuesday.
Their cause has gained traction after a horrific trial last fall in which dozens of men were convicted of raping Gisèle Pelicot while she was in a deeply drugged state.
If the bill passes, it would then go to the Senate.
Here is some background on why the change is being suggested and who objects.
How does France define rape?
French law defines rape as any form of sexual penetration committed on another person — woman or man — by violence, constraint, threat or surprise. The lawmakers want to expand that definition by including nonconsensual penetration.
The bill states that consent implies that it is “given freely” and stipulates that it “can be withdrawn before or during the sexual act.”