France has started what analysts call an ambitious new legislation - to penalise those who pay for sex. France is finally saying "non" to those who pay for sex instead of penalising prostitutes.

The new legislation that is soon to be debated in France's National Assembly is tabled by the Socialist Party, according to sources.

The BBC says it contains over 20 articles and the goal of these articles is to disrupt the sex trade in France. But the most controversial of the articles is Article 16 because it is the first time that the European country will make buying sex an offence.

Sources say that according to Article 16, those who are found guilty of the said crime will have to pay up to 1, 500 euros. For repeat offenders, they'd have to pay twice the said amount.

The bill reportedly has a big chance to be passed into law.

Touche Pas A Ma Pute!

A group of men signed a petition that says "Hands off my whore" to protest the passing of the bill on stopping individuals paying for sex. The petition was published in Causeur, a French magazine.

The men who signed the petition were led by Frederic Beigbeder. The men condemned the assembly for taking into their hands the private lives of people. He said that the MPs were trying to "decree norms for desire and pleasure."

The Socialist Party said that the petition was rather scandalous and that it was a clear sign that those who are defending the sex trade in France want to preserve male domination.

Osez le Feminisme's Anne-Cecile Mailfert told the BBC that the petition was done by "343 dominant males who want to protect their position and continue to use money for access to women's bodies."

The 343 men said, however, that paying for sex should only be done by two consenting individuals, but that they are not in favour of human trafficking, exploitation or violence against women.

Their detractors say though that the petition was "self-serving."

According to sources, the vast majority of women who are involved in France's sex trade are foreigners.