The French government is seeking to strengthen laws against an adult having sex with a child under the age of 15, after prominent cases of sexual abuse led to a national reckoning about sexual violence against children.

Unlike other countries, the French do not have a crime of statutory rape.

A sexual act with a child under the age of 15 is an offense of sexual assault of a minor with a lighter penalty than rape: six months to five years in jail as opposed to the 20-year jail term that is the maximum for offences of rape. But, where an act of sexual penetration occurs “under violence, duress, threat or surprise,” it is defined as rape regardless of age.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti announced this that he would seek new criminal sanctions for any “act of sexual penetration” by an adult of a minor under the age of 15.

This is still a narrower definition than other countries, as prosecutors would need to prove that intercourse took place.

The proposed bill also includes the necessity of an age gap of at least five years, in order not to criminalise sexual relationships between teenagers where one is older than 15 and the other is not.

Two recent books have helped spark debate – one writer describing her abuse while an underage teenager at the hands of prize-winning writer Gabriel Matzneff and the other alleging sexual abuse of a step-son by high-profile political commentator Olivier Duhamel.

In both cases, the writers say that the abuse was known about in the intellectual and social circles in which the men moved. Psychologist Muriel Salmona told the BBC, “in France there is a current that tolerates sexual violence against children.”

In Ireland, the age of consent is 17. On Tuesday, a man was sentenced to two years in prison with the second year suspended for having sex with a 16 year old boy when he was 21.