The Minister of Equality and spokesperson for the Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Blanca Fernández, has sent a letter to the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, in which she asks for “the immediate review”, by way of urgency, of the Organic Law 10/2022, of September 6, on the comprehensive guarantee of sexual freedom.
The objective, according to the Castilian-La Mancha minister, is to “avoid lowering the sentences for sexual offenders and so that those who commit sexual crimes can have, as soon as possible and at least, the same sentences that were in force until September 2022, and that have been lowered with the current regulation”.
The letter, dated January 7, and collected by Europa Press, informs the minister that the Parliament of Castilla-La Mancha approved, on December 21, unanimously the three parliamentary groups represented in them (PSOE, PP and Citizens), a resolution urging the regional Executive to, in turn, urge the Government of Spain “to immediately review” the law of ‘only yes is yes’.
It must be remembered that at the beginning of December the Ministry of Equality already agreed with Moncloa on an amendment to clarify the ‘only yes is yes’ law. After the Christmas period, the Government of Castilla-La Mancha demands speed. According to Blanca Fernández, “unanimity in the fight against gender violence and sexual violence has always characterized these Courts, which is why we attach great importance to this claim since it echoes a popular clamor that is stupefied how, from the entry into force of the aforementioned law until the end of the year, there have been more than 120 revisions of downward sentences, in addition to the release of a total of 17 convicts”.
“We believe that these are more than enough reasons to introduce the changes that are necessary and avoid in the future this bleeding of revisions that causes discomfort in the victims and indignation among the citizens,” continues the Minister of Castilla-La Mancha.
Having said this, he claims to be aware that the law is “much more than the penalties it contains and that, in general terms, it is a good instrument that allows for the first time to deal with sexual violence, care for victims and their compensation, in a comprehensive way”. Likewise, he considers it “a success to have put consent at the center of everything”, but the truth – declares Fernández – is that “we do not share the reductions in sentences that are taking place or those that may occur in the future”.
In his view, “here the important thing is not to win the battle of the story about who is to blame -if the Ministry of Equality or the judiciary-, it is about solving a problem that anguishes the victims and that cannot be leave us indifferent.” And the ability to solve this problem lies with his Ministry, he clarifies.
Therefore, “from the greatest loyalty and honesty”, he has not only urged Montero to modify the rule as a result of the unanimous agreement that has occurred within the Cortes of Castilla-La Mancha, but also from the “deepest conviction that no sexual offender should be benefited, not even minimally in the present or in the future, by a norm that intended the opposite”.
Finally, it affirms that it is aware of the “enormous efforts” of the Government of Spain to permanently reinforce the fight against the different forms and manifestations of sexist violence”, and asks not to allow this work to be seen in question “by a political castling”, because “we must not forget that what is important, here and now, are the present and future victims”, the letter concludes.
