[2][3] The United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls stated that the negative effects of the initial legislation could have been avoided with more consultation.
A group of five men raped an 18-year-old woman, and at first were only convicted of the lesser charge of sexual abuse as the judge said that there was neither violence nor intimidation.
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)–Unidas Podemos government of Spain, self-described as feminist, began to draft the new law.
[11] Additionally, the law offers economic aid to sexual offence victims earning under €14,000, as well as priority for social housing.
[8] The Supreme Court of Spain upheld the reduced sentences as legal in December 2022, as it is "obligatory" to apply a new law retroactively if it is beneficial to the convict.
Montero criticised the PSOE for relying on PP support, called the amendment a "setback" for women's rights and her "most difficult day as a minister".
[1] In April 2023, the prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, apologised to victims of sexual crimes for the reduced sentences as a result of the law.
[2] In June, he called the previous loophole the "biggest mistake" of his government, adding that he never considered dismissing Montero over the controversy.
[3] Reem Alsalem, the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, stated that the law was rushed and its negative consequences could have been avoided had advice been taken from bodies such as the CGPJ.