Spanish Equality Minister Irene Montero, who supports the "no consent is sexual assault" law.

(AFP file photo)

[International News Center/Comprehensive Report] Based on the controversy over Spain's "only yes means yes" (only yes means yes) law, Spanish right-wing and far-right politicians expressed their support for the legislation on the left-wing "We Can Party" (Podemos) MP and Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, launched a violent sexist and personal attack.

The Guardian reported on the 24th that the law was brought by Spain's Socialist-led coalition government in response to rising public outcry following the so-called "wolfpack" gang rape in the northern city of Pamplona six years ago. The bill, introduced, makes sexual consent a key factor in sexual assault cases, but it also modifies the range of minimum and maximum sentences, allowing some convicted sex offenders to have their sentences reduced on appeal.

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The "Wolf Pack Case" occurred during the Running of the Bulls Festival in June 2016. During the event, a woman who was only 18 years old was forcibly pulled away by five men and sexually assaulted in turn.

The five men also took photos and recorded them with their mobile phones, and spread them in a social software group called "Wolf Pack".

The prosecution later charged the five men with rape and sought 22 years and 10 months in prison.

In April 2018, the first-instance verdict was released. The judge believed that it did not constitute a crime of rape, and only sentenced each of them to 9 years in prison and 5 years of probation for the minor crime of sexual abuse.

The public was greatly dissatisfied with this, triggering nationwide protests, and the government was forced to agree to amend the law.

In December 2018, the judgment of the second instance was still upheld by the lower court.

In June 2019, the Supreme Court of Spain ruled that the five criminals in the "Wolf Pack Case" were suspected of "gang rape" victims, and their sentences were increased from the original 9 years to 15 years.

The judge also found that the victim had to submit to her abuser in such dire circumstances, but submission did not constitute consent to having sex.

Earlier this year, the Spanish Congress passed the "No Consent, Sexual Assault" law, exempting the victim from the burden of proof and declaring that in the future only if both parties express "consent to sexual conduct" will be legal.

The new law defines "consent" as a way of clearly expressing personal wishes, which means that silence or passive submission is not considered "sexual consent", and sexual behavior without mutual consent can be regarded as sexual assault, which can be punished by up to 15 years imprisonment.

Montillo defended the legislation last week, angering legions of legal circles by suggesting that some judges failed to uphold the dignity of the law because of deep-seated sexism.

The opposition accused the government of pushing a flawed and ill-conceived law that does nothing to bring justice to victims of sexual assault and of launching a personal attack on Montiro.

Carmen Herrarte, a member of the centre-right Civic Party, accused the Spanish left of being "committed to putting rapists back on the streets" and that Monteiro "became what he is today because he was raped by alpha men (only strong men)". This is what it looks like." Monteiro's partner is former We Can party leader and deputy prime minister Pablo Iglesias, with whom she has three children.

Civic Party spokesman Edmundo Bal immediately drew a line with Herat, calling his remarks "absolutely disgraceful" and urging mutual respect among political opponents.