Mexican State of Querétaro Toughens Penalties for Rapists and Human Traffickers

In response to growing problems of sexual violence and human trafficking, El Economista reports that the Congress of the state of Querétaro approved reforms to the Penal Code to enforce a sentence of seven to 38 years in prison for persons convicted of human trafficking or sexual misconduct. Children and women in the poorest conditions are the most vulnerable to these crimes, to the point that in some cases they prefer to remain in sexual slavery rather than return to poverty. Sexual violence is a grave problem in Mexico – every four minutes, a girl between 10 and 20 years of age is sexually abused. Read Article