There is no agreement in the Spanish government on a possible reform of the ‘only yes is yes’ law

After weeks of negotiations, the reduced sentences for sex offenders due to the entry into force of the only yes is yes law, there is no agreement in the coalition government if United We Can rejected the Justice Department’s proposal to return to the punishments before this rule.

Aner Uriartesenior judge of Bilbao, has clarified that the new reform of the “only yes is yes” law It would only apply to those who commit crimes after the passage of the law changes. “The solution would be to increase the minimum sentences,” he added of the possible reform.

The Ministry of Equality has proposed an urgent action plan to protect victims of sexual violence and implement the “Only yes is yes” law, ministry sources said. Since the entry into force of said law, they have worked to ensure its correct application, sharing the public concern for judicial decisions to reduce sentences.

As all experts confirm, and the Government of Spain itself has verified, “there is no penal reform of the law that can stop the revisions, as they result from the incorrect application of the transitional law and of the law itself”.

For this reason, they believe that one of the possible solutions is to urgently implement a plan of measures for judicial specialization, training in sexual violence and increasing effective resources for the protection of women. The same has already been done for the application of law 1/2004.

For his part, he PSOE will introduce a bill “as soon as possible” to reform the “only yes is yes” law to “close the door on its unwanted effects” and for which they hope for the support of their United coalition partners Can. This has been indicated by the spokesman of the PSOE Election Commission, Pilar Alegría, who has made it clear that under no circumstances will the “heart” of the law, the consent of the woman, be touched.

In this sense, the Minister for the Presidency, Felix Bolanoshas ensured that there is “a Justice Department proposal that rigorously addresses potential reform” of the “only yes is yes” law, with the aim of “avoiding the undesirable effects” of the rule and that it is not repeated in the future.

One of the options being considered, according to Moncloa sources, is a return to the punishments prior to the single yes is yes law, although the Ministry of Equality rejects a return to the previous model, warning that this would mean victims would pass for “an ordeal.”

Bolaños has maintained consent will remain “at the center” of the norm. “We cannot allow women in court cases to be asked if they resisted enough or how they dressed. Consent is nuclear,” he said.

The Minister of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, Ion Belarra, has defended that “consent” remains “at the center of the Penal Code”. “Consent must remain central to the criminal code. We cannot revert to the probative ordeal to show that we resisted sufficiently or that we did not drink,” Belarra stressed in a tweet.

The leader of the PP, Alberto Nunez Feijoohas criticized the fact that the PSOE and Podemos “continue to exude their discrepancies” with regard to the “only yes is yes” law, and once again offered the votes of the Popular Group to the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez to change that line.

In this sense, Feijóo has stressed before the PP’s Executive Committee that he “guarantees” the support of the Popular Group for the amendment of the law from “only yes is yes” “immediately”, regardless of whether or not he has votes in its Council of Ministers or in the Congress of Deputies to implement this legal reform