Bill outlaws domestic squabbles

France's National Assembly, voting on 25 February 2010, unanimously approved a bill aimed at broadening protections for women against domestic violence, setting off a controversy among some government officials. "Psychological harassment is now a crime," writes Le Monde, which reported that the offence is now punishable by up to a three-year prison term and a €75,000 fine. Nadine Morano, France's Secretary of State for the Family, believes the proposed law is fully justified "given that 84% of the 80,000 calls received each year on the domestic violence hot-line concern psychological violence," the French daily reported.

But French magistrates, the paper continued, criticised the lack of social-service resources to help victims and called the legislation "a law for show" and "window dressing". One of the bill's most notable measures is the introduction in France of the electronic bracelet, which could be imposed on violent spouses. Such devices are already used in Spain. Le Monde noted that on average domestic violence accounts for the death of one woman every three days in France.