The legislation regarding rape in Ecuador, including how it is being applied and what women's organizations are doing with regard to the limitations of the law [ECU28827.E]

In a 15 March 1998 letter to the Research Directorate, the coordinator of the Proyecto Comisarías de la Mujer (police stations for women project) at the Centro Ecuatoriano Para la Promoción y Acción de la Mujer (CEPAM) in Quito stated that the 1995 Law on Violence Against Women and the Family, in its handling of trials (juicios penales) for crimes committed within the family, refers to all related articles established in the Penal Code and the Penal Procedural Code. Thus, the type of rape offence, as well as the penalty (juzgamiento) for it, is established in these codes.

For information on activities that various women's organizations in Ecuador are undertaking regarding violence against women, please consult Response to Information Request ECU28826.E of 18 March 1998.
Some background information on the legislation regarding rape can be found in the Research Directorate's December 1994 paper entitled

Human Rights Brief: Domestic Violence Against Women in Ecuador.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference


Centro Ecuatoriano Para la Promoción y Acción de la Mujer (CEPAM), Quito. 15 March 1998. Letter received by the Research Directorate from coordinator of the Proyecto Comisarías de la Mujer.

Additional Sources Consulted


Andean Newsletter [Lima]. 1996-1998.

Boletín Red Contra la Violencia [Santiago]. 1996-1998.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1996-1998.

Latin American Regional Reports: Andean Group Report [London]. 1996-1998.

Resource Centre country file: Ecuador. 1996-1998.

WIN News [Lexington, Mass.]. 1996-1998.

Women's Watch [Minneapolis]. 1996-1998.

Electronic sources: IRB Databases, Global News Bank, Internet, NEXIS/LEXIS, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC).