Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez Apologizes to Sexual Consent Law Victims

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MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 06: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends the New Year Military parade celebration at the Royal Palace on January 06, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has apologized to the victims of the new sexual consent law, popularly known as "only yes means yes." The legislation seeks to increase the penalties for sexual crimes in European countries.

While it was supposed to toughen the punishment for sexual offenders, it also opened a door in favor of some convicts due to a loophole. The new sexual consent law enabled some of them to reduce their sentences alarmingly, letting some end their imprisonment earlier.

Spanish PM Apologizes to Victims of New Sexual Consent Law

According to Reuters, the new groundbreaking law, which sought to punish sexual abusers and other offenders severely, had a loophole. And this favors some convicted sexual criminals. Roughly 978 were allowed to reduce their sentences, whereas 104 more convicts had already received their early release grant.

The new "only yes means yes" legislation began to take effect late last year, or in October 2022, to be precise, as per The Guardian. The new sexual consent law significantly revised the criminal code to categorize all non-consensual sexual activities as rape.

Due to the loophole, the Spanish Prime Minister asked for the forgiveness of the victims of the new government-sponsored law. Sanchez apologized to the casualties of the legislation, saying, "I apologize to the victims, and we will find a solution to these unintended effects because it is the best way to defend the law itself."

The Spanish leader notes that "any MP, including those who voted against the law, is OK with lowering the sentences of sexual aggressors." He issued his apology amid Spain's upcoming regional elections, which take place next month or on May 28, to be exact.

(Photo : LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) talks with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as they wait for France's president and Portugal's prime minister to hold a meeting to discuss H2Med underwater hydrogen pipeline initiative, on the sidelines of the EU-MED9 Euro-Mediterranean Group Summit on December 9, 2022 in Alicante.

'Only Yes Means Yes' Law Reform

Due to its loophole, ABC News reports that the new "only yes means yes" law is set to be revised, which should then address the issue of favoring convicted criminals. Legislators are set to kick off the reform of the new sexual consent rule next week.

The American news outlet notes that the new "only yes means yes" law has been the center of debate among two left-wing coalitions, the Socialist Party and the Unidas Podemos. The latter is a junior socialist party that sponsored the sexual consent legislation.

According to The Guardian, a horrendous 2016 gang rape triggered legislators to create new legislation to protect women from sexual crimes. The "wolf pack" rape incident centers on five men who raped an 18-year-old woman. Although the perpetrators raped the victim, they were only found guilty of sexual abuse. It happened as the court found out that the men did not assault the sufferer.

Now, the new law includes sexual consent in determining assault cases. But then again, it has a loophole enabling convicted criminals to shorten their sentences.