Raising the penalties for femicide is not enough

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The Senate Justice Committee has unanimously approved a new bill on femicide. This bill aims solely to increase penalties, a fundamental limitation that no amendment can overcome. The challenge, within this questionable logic, was clearly defining the specific conditions that qualify the killing of a woman as femicide. The original bill presented by the majority had also been criticized by members of the judiciary for its ill-defined nature . Specifically, it was specified that murder is femicide, and therefore punishable by life imprisonment, if it is "related to the woman's refusal to establish or maintain an emotional relationship." Now, the road to promulgation of the law appears to be smooth sailing.

The majority was sensitive to the issue and proposed a text whose essential elements remain intact, namely the harshness of the punishment, while the opposition obtained useful clarifications that make explicit principles that in the original text were summarized in general terms, which could have seemed vague. There was a constructive intent on all sides, which led to unanimity in the committee, which is quite rare. Naturally, increasing penalties, as this law essentially does, rarely reduces crime. Someone who kills a woman because she doesn't submit to his will doesn't first consider whether that despicable act could cost him decades in prison or a life sentence. It's a good thing that political forces have reached an agreement to severely punish a particularly heinous crime, but the path to reducing this phenomenon cannot end here. Strengthening information and assistance networks for women at risk, implementing measures that prevent violent partners from approaching potential victims, and raising awareness of the essential nature of women's freedom of choice are just some of the issues that need to be addressed, not only through legislation but through consistent behavior by those responsible.

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