The State Congress approved that the crime of incest be punished with imprisonment of 20 to 30 years, family violence by 10 to 20 years and that permanent injuries and psychological damage are considered aggravating factors.
Morenoist deputy Alejandra Novelo Segura pointed out that, with this reform, “we send” a clear message to the aggressors… Their behavior will have severe consequences.”
He acknowledged that 16 of the 25 deputies subscribed to this initiative presented by the legislative faction of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), to make it clear that sexual violence, of any kind, has no place in Yucatán, “even more so, in the family environment”.
He regretted that rape committed by family members, mainly by fathers or uncles, is one of the problems we face in Yucatecan society. “To know the real number of cases, we would have to multiply by 10 the number of cases of incest or sexual rape aggravated by being committed by the father or stepfather of the victim to approximate the magnitude of the problem.”
Now the crime of incest will be punished with imprisonment of 20 to 30 years, that of family violence from 10 to 20, and its aggravating circumstance will consider permanent injuries, as well as psychological damage. Furthermore, in harassment, harassment, sexual abuse, rape, comparable rape, and statutory rape, the rate of increase in penalties due to aggravating circumstances is two-thirds.
Also, the penalty for sexual crimes will increase when they are committed by the spouse, common-law partner, blood relative in a direct ascending or descending line without limitation of degree, collateral relative by blood or affinity up to the fourth degree, adopter or person who maintains or has maintained a de facto or marital relationship with the mother, father or guardian of the victim.
With this modification, relatives by blood or related up to the fourth degree are included in the aggravating circumstance, which is where the statistics show the highest proportion of aggressors are found.
“Increasing penalties alone is not the total solution.” Therefore, he called on the Prosecutor’s Office and the Executive Branch to, from their respective departments, develop public policies that also allow them to act on the matter and prevent and eradicate violence.
“It is necessary to improve the local child protection system, for the Prosecutor’s Office staff to be widely trained and sensitized, and to stop re-victimizing those who have suffered any of these crimes, also, for them to investigate better and faster. Let us work together for this common goal,” she stated.
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