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Story summary
- In December 2025, the French Senate unanimously passed a bill redefining rape as any non-consensual act.
- Consent must be freely given, informed, specific, prior, and revocable.
- It followed the high-profile trial of Gisèle Pelicot's rapists.
- Critics argue that force-based definitions perpetuate victim-blaming and overlook victims who cannot resist.
- The Istanbul Convention requires rape to be defined by lack of consent, a standard not yet adopted by all EU countries.
