Mar 4 • 22:45 UTC 🇲🇽 Mexico El Financiero (ES)

What is the Valeria Law, the criminal reform that punishes stalking in Mexico?

The Valeria Law in Mexico officially recognizes stalking as a federal crime and establishes penalties for such behavior.

In Mexico, the Valeria Law has been enacted to federally classify stalking as a criminal offense. This initiative modifies the Federal Penal Code to impose sanctions on repeated behaviors of following, monitoring, or intimidating individuals, both in-person and digitally. Previously, stalking was not explicitly recognized as an offense at the federal level, leading to challenges in legal proceedings where such cases were often categorized under other offenses like threats, harassment, or sexual assault, which complicated investigations and sanctions.

The unanimous approval of the Valeria Law in the Chamber of Deputies on February 18 signifies a significant step towards systemic reforms in addressing stalking in Mexico. This law aims to define the behaviors that constitute stalking, thereby providing clear guidelines for law enforcement to intervene effectively. By doing so, the legislation empowers authorities to take more definitive actions in cases involving stalking and offers better protection for victims.

Overall, the Valeria Law marks an important development in the Mexican legal framework regarding personal safety and the protection of individuals from repeated harassment. It emphasizes the necessity for precise legal definitions of victimization behaviors and reinforces the state's commitment to addressing gender-based violence and protecting vulnerable populations from such offenses.

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