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VICTORY BULLETIN: Mexican Lawmakers Toughen Rape Law

09/26/2001

Three dozen Mexican women's groups won a major victory last Tuesday when the Chihuahua state legislature reversed a law that would have shortened sentences for rapists judged to have been provoked by their victims.

The overturned the law - which gave some rapists lighter sentences than cattle thieves - after coming under pressure from the public and outraged women's groups.

``We know for sure they are changing it because the pressure was humongous,'' said Victoria Caraveo, director of Women for Juarez.

Women in Chihuahua had appealed to the media and feminists across Mexico to oppose the law, staged street protests, and even taken the fight to the floor of Congress.

Read the full story at Yahoo! News.