Spain: the Prime Minister "asks forgiveness" to the victims of sexual assault

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez asked "

" to victims of sexual assault for the reduced sentences and early releases of certain convicts following a decried penal reform, in an interview published on Sunday April 16 by the daily El

.

“

”, affirmed for the first time the socialist leader, questioned by the Spanish Basque daily.

Dubbed "

", the government's flagship law against sexual violence has paradoxically led to at least 978 sentence reductions and 104 early releases of convicts since it came into force in October, according to the latest figures from Justice.

An outcry

“

”, underlined Pedro Sanchez at the approach of the municipal and regional elections of May 28 and the legislative elections scheduled for the end of the year.

Read alsoSpain wants to generalize the principle of gender parity

These reductions in sentences have caused an outcry in Spain, recognized as a reference in Europe in terms of legislation against gender violence.

" reform

last year introduced the obligation of explicit sexual consent, a promise made by the left-wing government after a gang rape that outraged the country.

Penalties modified retroactively

This text abolishes the distinction between the offense of “

”, with lower penalties, and “

”, which included rape and required the presence of violence or intimidation to be retained.

From now on, all sexual violence is “

” in the absence of explicit consent.

These penal requalifications have however led to reductions in sentences because in Spain the sentences are modified retroactively if a change in the Penal Code benefits the convicted.

“

”, promised Pedro Sanchez, whose executive claims to be feminist, and while Parliament is examining a socialist bill aimed at ending these sentence reductions.