Spouses who resort to "psychological violence" could be criminally prosecuted under a new French law.
The legislation — set to take effect later this year — seeks to punish individuals who subject their spouses to verbal and psychological abuse, the U.K. Daily Mail reported Tuesday.
Repeat offenders would be required to wear electronic tags under the law, the country's prime minister, Francois Fillon, said in a statement.
"It's an important step forward, as the creation of this offense will allow us to deal with the most insidious situations — situations that leave no visible scars, but which leave victims torn up inside," Fillon said.
Supporters of the measure, which also applies to unmarried couples who live together, hope it will spread to other European countries.
But critics like French psychologist Anne Giraud have called the law a "gimmick," claiming it will be difficult to implement.
"Squabbling couples will allege all kinds of things about each other, but they won't necessarily be true," Giraud told the newspaper.
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