Law Punishing Violence Against Women Approved
The Ley de Penalización de la Violencia contra las Mujeres (law punishing violence against women) was approved in first reading during yesterday's session of the Legislative Assembly, where all 44 legislators were present for the vote, passing with only one vote, by Libertarion Luis Barrantes, against.

The Movimiento Libertario has been against the approval of the law in its present form and failed to obtain the required ten signatures to send the initiative back to the Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court).

The second reading of the initiative is slated for Thursday at 3:00pm at which time if passed will become law.

The initiative creates a specified law that punishes physical aggression, psychological and sexual abuse by their spouses or common law partner.

The law would punish with from 20 to 30 years prison time for a man who kills his wife or common law partner, and provides punishement for each one of the various violent acts a woman can suffer at the hands of her man.

The proposed law would also allow a judge to hand out preventive detention (jail) to a man who insists on violating protective measures to ensure that he does not continue to harass his better half.

The Movimiento Libertario party is not against the tough law, said legisaltor Carlos Gutiérrez, it is just that it leaves doubts on the lack of specific violent acts against a woman. "Even though I have doubts, I support the initiative because I would rather be wrong in favour of a woman, who is the weak in the face of domestic violence", said Gutiérrez

Some legislators, though voting in favour of the proposal, expressed concern over the inequality between men and women that the law can cause, the law could become a tool for women to pressure men.

However, a number of legislators, like Grettel Ortiz, was happy on the passage of the proposal saying "This is a memorable day beacuse this law protects Ticas and foreigners who are victims of violence".

A number of women legislators expressed a similar sentiment, saying it is an important step for women to claim their rights.

The ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias, added that law constitutes the first action to eradicate a social problem that has surprised society with bloody consequences.

"A country that is known around the world for its respect of human rights could not continue to ignore the violence against women, justly, a problem that does not only affect women, but their children and family as well", said Arias.