Spain’s govt under pressure to do more on gender-based crime

By RAQUEL REDONDO
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — A spate of gender-based violence, coupled with the early release of several sex offenders, has increased pressure on Spain’s left-wing government, which strongly plays up its feminist credentials, to do more to protect women from abuse. Following an urgent meeting Friday, the country’s Equality Ministry proposed housing and income support for abuse victims but said there was no need to tighten a law that has allowed some sex offenders to review and reduce their sentences. At least six women have been killed — allegedly by their current or former partners — so far this year, according to the latest government records. The Equality Ministry found that some of these victims had been living with their alleged killers for economic reasons.