The decision, which prevents French judges from making similar divorce rulings on sexual relations in the future, comes at a time when France is debating the concept of consent to its rape laws.

A French court had ruled that a woman had violated her marital duties by not having sex with her husband. The European Court of Human Rights condemned that decision.

A French woman who had stopped having sex with her husband and had been considered at fault in a divorce, has won a case at Europe’s top human rights court. The European court of human rights sided with her Thursday and ruled that a French court was wrong,

"I hope that this decision will mark a turning point in the fight for women's rights in France," the woman said.

A French woman took her case to the European Court of Human Rights after she was ruled at fault in her divorce because she had stopped having sex with her husband.

A woman, who was blamed by French courts for her divorce because she no longer had sex with her husband, has won an appeal in Europe’s top human rights court, the court said on Thursday, reigniting a debate in France over women’s rights.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Thursday that French courts had violated a woman’s rights by citing her refusal to have sex as grounds for divorce. The landmark case condemned outdated notions of marital duties,

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights goes against French courts. Advocates called on the government to amend French law “to eradicate this rape culture.”

The European court of human rights (ECHR) sided Thursday with a French woman who had stopped having sex with her husband, saying she should not have been considered at fault on those grounds in their divorce.