According to an observatory, this trend does not reflect an increase in incidents but in reports, and a greater awareness of the seriousness of sexual violence, including within couples.
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Further proof of the impact of the #MeToo movement on society. The volume of procedures for sexual assault or rape of a spouse has more than doubled in France since 2017, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice communicated to AFP on Friday October 10. The increase was 164% between 2017 and 2022, going from 1,377 accused to 3,641. A statistic which does not reflect an increase in incidents, but rather an increase in reports and a strengthening of the fight against sexual violence. , the president of the Seine-Saint-Denis Observatory of Violence Against Women told AFP.
Mechanically, convictions are also experiencing a notable increase. Regarding sexual assault on a spouse, 298 litigants were convicted in 2022, compared to 205 in 2017, an increase of 45%. Convictions for marital rape have increased by 130% in five years, from 54 convictions in 2017 to 123 in 2022.
Rape by spouse recognized since 1990 in France
Long inconceivable due to the notion of “marital duty”rape by a spouse has been recognized by criminal jurisprudence since 1990 and constitutes an aggravating circumstance punishable by 20 years in prison, since a 2006 law [lien vers un fichier pdf].
Since the 2019 Domestic Violence Grenelle, police stations have presented a detailed questionnaire to people who come to file a complaint for domestic violence. One of the entries concerns the existence of coerced sexual relations. 3919, a telephone number dedicated to women victims of violence, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is free and does not appear on telephone bills.