French Woman Wins European Court Case: Refusing Sex Not Valid Reason for Divorce

france - A 69-year-old French woman wins a landmark case at the European Court of Human Rights regarding refusal of sex as grounds for divorce.

Landmark Court Case

A 69-year-old French woman has won a landmark case at the European Court of Human Rights regarding refusing sex as a valid reason for divorce. The case has been ongoing for several years, starting in 2018 when a French family court in Versailles initially denied the divorce, ordering the man to stay with his wife. However, the Versailles appeals court later allowed the divorce on the grounds that the woman was at fault for denying her husband sex. The woman, a mother of four, then appealed to the French Supreme Court, which referred the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. In the recent verdict, the European Court emphasized that any non-consensual sexual act constitutes sexual violence. The victorious woman expressed hope that this decision will be a turning point in the fight for women's rights in France.