Legal age of sexual consent to be pegged at 15
An adult who has sex with someone from age 15 will not be charged for rape in France, as the country plans to fix the legal age of sexual consent at 15.
Equality Minister Marlène Schiappa welcomed the move with advice from doctors and legal experts.
Currently, prosecutors must prove sex with someone under-15 was forced in order to bring rape charges.
The change came amid uproar over two recent cases of men accused of having sex with 11-year-old girls.
The government is to approve the new age limit as part of a package of other laws against sexual violence and harassment in the coming weeks.
It had been discussing whether to set the age as 13 or 15, which is what groups fighting violence against children had campaigned for.
Under the existing legislation, if there is no violence or coercion proved, offenders may only be charged with sexual abuse of a minor and not rape.
This has a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of €75,000 (£66,000; $87,000).
Sentences are the same for sexual assaults of minors and non-minors, but rape convictions carry much harsher punishments. (NAN)
