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Mexico City Legislature Unanimously Passes Sweeping Gender-Violence Reforms

Measures now await publication to take effect.

Overview

  • The overhaul makes sexual abuse and technology-facilitated grooming prosecutable ex officio and establishes that silence or passivity does not constitute consent.
  • Penalties rise across offences, including up to seven years in aggravated domestic violence, up to five years for sexual harassment, and up to seven years for sexual abuse.
  • A new crime of partner domestic violence is created, family-violence provisions extend to dating relationships, and prosecutors can order precautionary protections, including for violencia vicaria.
  • Digital sexual harassment is expressly criminalized with four to six years in prison and fines, with sentences increased by up to one-half for impersonation or for abuse by public servants or teachers.
  • After passage by all 53 legislators, the reforms move to official publication, the capital prosecutor has 120 days to align protocols, and a related federal abuse reform awaits a lower-house vote early next year.