She killed a man while he was raping her, and a court in Mexico sentenced her to 6 years in prison [View all]
Associated Press
Megan Janetsky And Fernanda Pesce
Published May 17, 2023 • 4 minute read
Activists paste photos of Roxana Ruiz that read in Spanish "Defending my life is not a crime" on a wall near the court building where the 22-year-old attends a hearing where she is charged with homicide with excess of legitimate self-defence in Chimalhuacan, State of Mexico, Mexico, Monday, Abril 18, 2022. PHOTO BY EDUARDO VERDUGO /AP Photo
MEXICO CITY — A Mexican woman who killed a man defending herself when he attacked and raped her in 2021 was sentenced to more than six years in prison, a decision her legal defence called “discriminatory” and vowed to appeal Tuesday.
The ruling against Roxana Ruiz spurred anger from experts and feminist groups who said it speaks to the depth of gender-based violence and Mexico’s poor record of bringing perpetrators of sexual violence to justice.
“It would be a bad precedent if this sentence were to hold. It’s sending the message to women that, you know what, the law says you can defend yourself, but only to a point,” said Angel Carrera, her defence lawyer. “He raped you, but you don’t have the right to do anything.”
The Associated Press does not normally identify sexual assault victims, but Ruiz has given her permission to be identified and participates in public demonstrations led by activists who support her.
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https://canoe.com/news/crime/she-killed-a-man-while-he-was-raping-her-and-a-court-in-mexico-sentenced-her-to-6-years-in-prison/wcm/41632ea6-dcb4-41ae-90b8-a5a616f5bb05
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