© Michèle Sinner
A debate in Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday gave voice to survivors of sexual violence, as petitioners called for deeper legal reforms, including an end to automatic suspended sentences and the creation of a specialised court.
A debate was held in the Chamber on Wednesday, prompted by a petition submitted by non-profit organisation The Voice of Survivors (La Voix des Survivants). The aim: to strengthen the legal framework for preventing sexual violence and to improve support for victims.
But the organisation is also calling for deeper reforms, including an end to automatic suspended sentences for first-time offenders and the creation of a specialised court for sexual violence cases.
Petitioner Ana Pinto opened the debate with an emotional speech, reading out excerpts from a letter written by a victim to her rapist: "Every day, every hour, every minute, there is not one second that goes by without me feeling that you're there, next to me, abusing me again and again. You are there. The images come back every time I close my eyes."
Pinto then told the plenary that Héloïse, author of the letter, "took her own life at the age of 17".
The statistics shared were equally harrowing: "In our country, 20% of women experience abuse in their lifetime. And 17% of men too. The perpetrators continue to live freely, sometimes under the same roof as their victims, protected by overly slow and costly procedures and by weak and often poorly enforced legislation."
"One-third of domestic violence complaints are dismissed without further action", Pinto highlighted on the floor.
Since 50% of perpetrators are said to go on to re-offend, victims' organisations argue that automatic suspended sentences for first-time offenders must be reconsidered.
The top priority, however, remains the establishment of a specialised court, as Pinto outlined: "We demand legislative instruments and adequate resources for justice. We call for the creation of a specialised court on gender-based violence and its impact on children who witness such violence, modelled after the Spanish system."
Pinto underlined that the Spanish model has led to a "one-third reduction in femicides".
Justice minister eyes imminent amendments
On the issue of suspended sentences, Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue stated: "You know that in January, I introduced a bill to change the principle. Because it is indeed a reality that suspended sentences are too often handed down in these cases."
Minister Margue expressed hope that her proposed legislative amendment can be voted on by MPs before the summer break. While she did not dismiss the idea of establishing a specialised court for such cases, Margue noted that it would require a constitutional amendment.
"Whether or not a specialised court is created, I believe we must ensure that professionals handling these cases receive targeted training. That could also be achieved by establishing specialised divisions within existing courts."
She also indicated openness to strengthening the legal framework by introducing new offences and increasing penalties, particularly for psychological and economic violence.
"We're currently conducting a comprehensive review of the penal code, which is outdated in many respects", she explained. "Adjustments are necessary. What society viewed as criminal 50 or 100 years ago doesn't always align with today's values; we need to reflect that reality in our laws."
Victims' organisations continue to view the creation of a specialised court as their top priority. Their proposals will now be reviewed by the relevant parliamentary committees and ministries.
