The Spanish parliament Thursday unanimously approved extensive legislation to protect women from violent male partners. The bill, which also needs to pass through the senate, foresees tougher penalties, special courts for battered women, a network of social services to assist them and educational measures. It imposes stricter penalties on men than on women who threaten or hurt their partners, because women may do so in self-defense. The law had prompted accusations that it discriminated against male victims of domestic violence. The government attempted to solve the problem by extending the definition of victims from women to "especially vulnerable people living with" a violent person. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said the law would provide "a powerful instrument to defeat the criminal machismo that is so present in society". Violence against women is a serious problem in Spain, where about 80 women are killed annually by their husbands or boyfriends.
