New laws to protect women and children from sex crimes

A bill aimed at protecting women and children from sexual harassment and sex crimes will be introduced early next year, Secretary of State for Equality Marlène Schiappa has announced.

Ms Schiappa told La Croix that the bill would extend the legal period for which sex crimes against minors could be reported - from its current 20 years after a victim reaches 18, to 30 years - and will also introduce a standard of 'presumed non-consent' for any case involving children, bringing France into line with other countries.

The new standard comes after it was reported that a judge in Pontoise ruled an 11-year-old child 'consented' to have sexual relations with a 28-year-old man.

Other new laws to be introduced in the bill are intended to protect women from sexual harassment in the street. A group of five MPs have been tasked with legally defining so-called street harassment and deciding on suitable punishments after a national survey showed almost all French women asked had been harassed on public transport or in the street.

A series of 300 'Tour de France of male-female equality' workshops are taking place across the country to gauge public opinion between now and December, while a consultation of police officers and magistrates will also take place - and Ms Schiappa urged as many people as possible to attend. See the interactive map below for a workshop near you.

The announcement of the new bill was made after journalist Susan Muller launched a social media campaign to highlight the harassment of women in the workplace in light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Many women are now sharing their harassment and abuse stories on Twitter using the #balancetonporc hashtag.

She told Franceinfo: ""This hashtag came to my mind like that in one fell swoop. I was confronted with this [harassment] a few years ago, I did not talk about it."

Weinstein is to be stripped of his Legion d'Honneur in light of the allegations against him, it has been reported.