'I apologise to the victims': Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez regrets loophole in sexual consent law

Madrid: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez apologised to victims of sexual abuse for freeing around 100 imprisoned offenders before they completed their sentences due to a loophole in the infamous “yes means yes” law.

The “yes means yes” law was applied last year in response to a 2016 case where five men, known as the “Wolf Pack”, raped an 18-year-old woman at the world-famous bull-running festival.

Under the new law, all non-consensual sex was to be counted as rape as opposed to the previous rule where rape convictions could only be secured if a prosecutor could prove that violence and intimidation had been employed.

According to VOA News, Ana Bernal, a journalist who specialises in feminist issues said, “This law has left a legal loophole. There are many victims who are scared about what could happen because the people who abused them could be let out of prison earlier. They are worried about their safety.”

Moreover, as the new law carries a lower minimum sentence – the result of merging the crimes of sexual abuse and aggression – it has enabled some perpetrators convicted before it took effect to successfully seek reduced sentences or early release.

Since the law was passed in October last year, the sentences of 978 have been reduced 104 prisoners have been released early as of March 31, the General Council of the Judiciary said last week.

In an interview with El Correo newspaper, Sanchez said, “Some of these releases or reviews are not final, they can still be appealed. But in any case, there has been an undesired effect that we have to resolve.”

“If we have to apologise to the victims, I apologise to the victims,” he added.

With inputs from agencies

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