France considering setting age of sexual consent at 13 after man is acquitted of raping 11yo girl

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France considering setting age of sexual consent at 13 after man is acquitted of raping 11yo girl

The French government is considering setting the minimum age for sexual consent following a controversial decision by a jury to spare a man accused of raping an 11-year-old girl. The verdict has sparked a public outcry and calls to revise the law.

The bill, if adopted, will set a benchmark in French law on sexual violence, as it will for the first time define the age limit under which any sexual intercourse with a minor is legally considered rape.

"The question of the age below which the minor's consent is presumed not to exist is crucial, because there are obviously extremely shocking and unacceptable situations," French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said, as cited by RTL radio.

Regarding the age of consent, Belloubet said that the age of 13 "is worth considering," while noting that the final decision in each case should lie within the discretion of the judges.

Marlene Schiappa, a junior minister for gender equality, argues that it should lie somewhere between 13 and 15 years.

"Below a certain age, it is considered that there can be no debate on the sexual consent of a child, and that any child below a certain age would automatically be considered to be raped or sexually assaulted," Schiappa told BMF TV.