The spokesperson for the Popular Party in the Congress of Deputies, Cuca Gamarra, has revealed this Tuesday that the proposal registered by her party, last December 16for increase the sentences for sexual offenders It does not yet have the “conformity” of the Government to be debated in plenary, a necessary procedure in parliamentary initiatives. Gamarra has lamented that “when another party needs that agreement, it obtains it in 24 hours.”
The initiative of the PP proposes to modify article 178 of the Criminal Code that includes penalties of one to four years for the crimes of sexual assault and add a fourth point in which it is specified that “if the aggression is committed using violence or intimidation, it will be imposed, in any case, the penalty of one to five years in prison».
In the same way, in 179, which includes penalties of four to twelve years in prison “when the sexual assault consists of carnal access through the vaginal, anal or oral route, or the introduction of body members or objects through one of the first two routes”, the popular ones want to add a second point that clarifies that if this aggression “is committed using violence or intimidation» the penalties to be imposed would be between six and twelve years.
The PP proposes the modification of articles 180 and 181 to reintroduce sexual assault by deceit or abuse of trust or authority for children under 18 and over 16 who, in their opinion, “has been declassified” from the Penal Code with the Law only yes is yes and that, according to the PP, leaves adolescents outside the scope of protection against these behaviors committed by adults.
It is a proposal practically identical to which the Ministry of Justice is now proposing, and on which the bill that the PSOE wants to present in the coming days will be based.
Gamarra has indicated that if the Government approves his proposal, “next week Its parliamentary process could already begin »to reform the Law of only yes is yes.
“Running out of time”
The Popular Parliamentary Group has raised this Tuesday to the Secretary of State for Relations with the Courts that expedite government compliancebut his response has been that “it will run out of time”, which expires on March 2.
«Are we asking for something exceptional? No, we are asking for it because it is urgent and because it is done with other parties. When Podemos or the PSOE need the Government to give them the agreement, they obtain it in 24 hours,” Gamarra complained, who has demanded that the Executive “high vision and responsibility” and that “put electoralism aside and think of women.”
Meanwhile, the PSOE is negotiating with Podemos to be able to present a joint proposal to reform the Law of the only yes is yes. The Socialists assure that their intention is to “reach an agreement” after determining that “jurisdiction has not been established” on the issue and “there are still disparate criteria in the interpretation” of the law.
After several months refusing to make changes, the main government party now considers that the “best” solution is to “toughen those penalties for sexual crimes aggravated by violence.”
From Podemos it has been criticized that this measure means returning to the previous norm that placed violence at the center and not consent, a complaint that the PSOE rejects.
The socialist spokesman, Patxi López, has also referred to the Equality proposal to reinforce the norm, which is based on reinforcing the training of judges or expanding the powers of the courts for violence against women, and has indicated that « No matter how many actions of another type” are carried out, “if the law is not changed”, the reductions will continue to take place.
“As long as this law exists, a judge may interpret it in such a way that it reduces the penalties. There is no other than to change it », he assured.
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