Spain: Parliament backs “Only yes means yes” consent bill

By ASHIFA KASSAM
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s parliament has voted to approve a bill that makes consent a key determinant in sexual assault cases, freeing victims of having to prove that violence or intimidation was used against them. The bill, popularly known as “Only Yes is Yes,” seeks to tackle the nebulous definition of consent in Spanish law. The new bill backed on Thursday defines consent as an explicit expression of a person’s will, making it clear that silence or passivity do not equal consent. Non-consensual sex can be considered aggression and subject to prison terms of up to 15 years. The change was heralded by Equality Minister Irene Montero. She told parliament that “today, Spain is a freer, safer country for all women.”