Part 2/7:
France's criminal code defines rape in narrow terms, specifying it as sexual acts committed through violence, threat, coercion, or surprise. Notably absent from this definition is the concept of consent, which complicates the prosecution of such cases. Although there has been a growing movement within the European Union to standardize a definition of rape that emphasizes consent, France has historically resisted these efforts. This lack of a clear definition contributes to the reticence among survivors to press charges.