Yeritza Bautista has denounced the release of her attacker after female judges reclassified his crime from attempted femicide to domestic violence [1, 2].
The decision highlights the ongoing struggle for gender-based justice in Mexico, where the reclassification of violent crimes can drastically reduce prison terms for offenders.
Bautista's attacker was originally sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempted femicide [2]. However, the magistradas cited legal criteria to move the charge to a lesser domestic-violence offense. This judicial shift reduced the prison term and led to the attacker's release on June 10 [1, 2].
This legal reversal occurred six years after the original attack [1]. Bautista said the ruling emphasizes the lack of protection and justice for survivors of gender-based violence.
During her public denouncement, Bautista said, "No estamos todas, pero jamás estaremos solas" [2].
The case brings renewed attention to how judicial interpretations of "femicide" versus "domestic violence" impact the length of incarceration in the Mexican legal system. By lowering the classification of the crime, the court effectively shortened the time the attacker spent behind bars, a move that Bautista said undermines the original sentence and the severity of the crime [1, 2].
“"No estamos todas, pero jamás estaremos solas"”
This case underscores a systemic tension in the Mexican judiciary regarding the application of femicide laws. When judges reclassify attempted femicide as domestic violence, it not only reduces the sentence but can also be interpreted by survivors as a denial of the gender-motivated nature of the violence, potentially creating a precedent that encourages lighter sentencing for similar crimes.
