Mexico's Comprehensive Law Against Domestic Violence

Mexican lawmakers have approved amendments to combat violence against women, criminalizing third-party violence with up to five years' imprisonment. The law expands the definition of violence to include actions against a woman's children and relatives.

Mexico's Comprehensive Law Against Domestic Violence
Mexican lawmakers took a historic stand against domestic violence, approving stringent penalties. Photo by Maxim Hopman / Unsplash

In a recent move, deputies have approved an initiative to modify the General Law on Women's Access to a Life Free of Violence and the Federal Civil and Federal Criminal Codes. This modification aims to regulate violence against women through a third-party or vicarious violence.

The approved ruling criminalizes vicarious violence and establishes penalties of up to five years' imprisonment. This significant step in legislation was sent to the Executive for enactment. With these changes, any action or omission that seeks to harm any female person is now defined and criminalized. This holds true regardless of the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim.