A new law aimed at combating sexual and sexist violence is now being debated in France's National Assembly. Inspired by feminist groups and child rights advocates, the proposal, led by socialist deputy Céline Thiébault-Martinez, seeks to address all aspects of the issue—from prevention and identification of victims to the prosecution of perpetrators. The law, consisting of over 69 articles, is being reviewed in a committee starting September 7. The initiative gained government support after the tragic case of Lyhanna, an 11-year-old girl who was raped and killed in June, despite the suspect having already been reported to authorities. A review by the Council of State and revisions by a cross-party group of deputies followed. The law would require mandatory training on sexual and sexist violence for healthcare professionals and employees in the workplace. It would also extend whistleblower protections to allow associations to report violence without fear of retaliation. The proposal includes annual individual interviews with every child in kindergarten, including those homeschooled, to detect potential violence. It would make an "honorability check" mandatory for anyone working with children, whether paid or voluntary. Additionally, the law aims to strengthen support for minors in prostitution by allocating dedicated human and financial resources. The law would ensure victims of sexual and sexist violence can fully reclaim the costs of related care, even without filing a formal complaint. It would create local centers in each department to provide medical care, reimbursement, and the option to file a complaint. It also plans to expand the "Grave Danger" telephone service, which allows victims of violence to alert the police quickly in case of threats. This service, established in 2014, is currently available to those who have already reported violence. The law would establish a minimum set of investigative steps that must be taken before closing a case without further action. These steps include interviewing the victim and suspect, preserving evidence, and searching for other potential victims. It also aims to expand legal aid for sexual assault victims without requiring proof of financial need and to make it easier for associations to act as civil parties in cases. The law seeks to protect victims during legal proceedings, which are often seen as a "secondary victimization" by legal experts. The proposal would strictly regulate the role of judicial experts by prohibiting them from commenting on the credibility of victims and banning opinions based on sexist stereotypes or unscientific reasoning. It would also exclude individuals who have been prosecuted or convicted for sexual violence from expert lists. The law would create specialized units within the judicial police to handle such crimes, with mandatory training for police and gendarmerie personnel. It also proposes the creation of specialized courts, similar to those in Spain, staffed by judges and prosecutors trained in sexual and domestic violence cases. The law would abolish the concept of "marital duty" in French law and explicitly define incest as a crime in the Penal Code. It would allow for harsher sentences in rape cases, including up to 30 years in prison if multiple aggravating circumstances are present. It would also criminalize unsolicited sending of explicit images or videos, digital stalking without consent, and forced sterilization. The law strengthens penalties for female genital mutilation and introduces a new offense for forced marriage. It would extend the "sliding prescription" principle to all sexual violence, allowing for the prosecution of older cases. It would also eliminate the "Romeo and Juliet" clause, which previously allowed for the non-criminalization of sexual acts between minors and adults with a small age gap.