The Ministry of the Interior considers that the increase in crimes against sexual freedom is due to an increase in social awareness and does not mention the application of the Organic Law of Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom known as the law of only yes is yes, which entered into force on October 7 and was reformed in 2023 at the initiative of the PSOE.

According to the crime balance of the Ministry of the Interior corresponding to the first quarter of 2023, crimes against sexual freedom continue to increase (excluding those computed online).. Specifically, from January to March 2023, there has been an increase of 16.9% over the same period of the previous year..

In total, during this period, 4,303 complaints of sexual crimes were registered. Of these, 1,021 were due to sexual assault with penetration (rape), which grew by 3.8% compared to the same period in 2022.. In addition, 3,282 complaints have been registered for the rest of crimes against sexual freedom, which represents an increase of 21.6%.

For the Interior, the increase in this type of crime must be “in part” in relation to the “active policies to raise awareness and reduce social and personal tolerance towards this type of criminal act”, which, according to what he assures, is translates into a “greater willingness” of the victims to report them and place their cases in the hands of the Security Forces and Corps, thus reducing the levels of “underreporting” that could and may exist in relation to these criminal types.

In its explanation, Interior does not make any mention of the application of the law of only yes is yes promoted by the Ministry of Equality, approved by the Government and whose complete original wording was in force between October 7, 2022 and December 28. April 2023. The controversial norm, which has given rise to more than 1,000 reductions in sentences and more than a hundred releases of aggressors, was reformed to once again raise the criminal rates when there is violence or intimidation at the initiative of the PSOE, a change agreed with the PP and rejected by Unidas Podemos and parliamentary partners such as ERC and Bildu.

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, affirmed last June that “the most important mistake” that he has made during this legislature is the reduction of sentences for sexual offenders as a result of the law of only yes is yes. However, he also specified that the dismissal of the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, was “never” on the table.