Outside activist circles, very few people would have bet, just a few months ago, that such an ambitious bill addressing the fight against gender-based and sexual violence would make it onto the French Parliament's agenda. And yet, starting Monday, September 21, a special committee at the Assemblée Nationale was to begin a detailed review of the 69 articles of a so-called "comprehensive" bill to combat that violence.

The legislation is "directly inspired by the experiences and journeys of the victims," amid a surge in complaints in recent years, said Socialist MP Céline Thiébault-Martinez, who submitted the bill and is championing it as the lead rapporteur. With provisions relating to justice, health, family law and the workplace, the bill could, according to its supporters, become the first major law in the wake of #MeToo if adopted – provided it is not watered down and is backed by significant resources.

The movement dates back to 2024. On May 14, Le Monde published a historic photo gathering together 100 people who had spoken out about sexual and gender-based violence as part of the #MeToo movement. Activists, actresses, and intellectuals called for the first time for an "framework law" against sexist and sexual violence. A few months later, in October, a coalition was officially formed. Made up of feminist and children's rights groups, experts and unions, it began working on a shared platform of demands, coordinated by the Fondation des Femmes.