France’s parliament has approved legislation aimed at systematically suspending parental authority for individuals under investigation for incest or domestic violence, with complete withdrawal of rights upon conviction.
The National Assembly endorsed the bill on Monday, March 11, followed by the Senate passing their version on Tuesday. Prior to this, the judicial system often left children vulnerable to potential harm or even in the custody of an alleged abuser during prolonged investigations. Under the new law, parents facing allegations of sexual abuse or other crimes against their child will automatically have all parental rights suspended, including custody and visitation.
Furthermore, the legislation mandates the complete withdrawal of parental rights if a parent is convicted of sexually abusing their child or committing any crime against them or the other parent, unless a judge provides justification for a different decision.
In its most stringent application, the parent may not even be informed of significant events in their child’s life. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti emphasized, “It is our duty to protect children who are victims of parental abuse.”
UN experts highlighted cases where children allegedly victimized or at high risk of sexual abuse were placed in the custody of fathers accused of the crimes, while mothers were penalized for attempting to protect their children.
According to CIIVISE, a government-created commission for the protection of sexual abuse victims, approximately 160,000 children suffer sexual assault annually in France, with 5.5 million French adults reporting childhood sexual abuse. In 95% of cases, the perpetrators are male.
