Kissing someone’s hand without their consent is considered sexual assault spainSupreme Court. Earlier in March, the Supreme Court had upheld the conviction of a man who kissed a woman’s hand at a bus stop madrid Was sexually harassed in 2023. He had also signaled her to follow him and also offered to give money to the woman.
His legal team wanted the court to recognize the act as street harassment, but judges ruled that any physical contact of a sexual nature went beyond this. In his decision of 5 March, he said that the man “acted with the intention of violating her sexual integrity”.
according to daily MailThe judgment said: “It was therefore an act of sexual harassment insofar as the act described contact of a sexual nature and tone which the victim had no obligation to endure”.
It found that there was “explicitly sexual content and the victim was objectified and violated”.
The Supreme Court ordered the man to pay the £1,280 fine that was imposed on him as a result of his original conviction.
The law, known as the “yes means yes” law, came into force in Spain in October 2022. Under the law, lack of consent became important in assault cases.
The law eliminated the lesser charge of sexual abuse and classified all violations as sexual assault, which carries harsher penalties.
Mr Rubiales was fined more than £8,680 (10,000 euros) but was acquitted of coercion charges along with three co-defendants.
Prosecutors had argued for a prison sentence and insisted on a retrial, but both requests were rejected. The case sparked debate throughout Spain about sexism and women’s football in the country.
Mr Rubiales had argued that what he did was the result of uncontrolled joy, but the court said his restraint with others showed he could have avoided kissing Ms Hermoso. reuters News agency.
