Chihuahua State Congress criminalizes stalking

The Chihuahua State Congress has unanimously approved the incorporation of stalking as a crime within the State Penal Code. This legislative change aims to provide legal tools to prevent, address, and punish behaviors involving surveillance, pursuit, or repeated contact that compromise a victim's safety and peace of mind.

Presented by Jael Argüelles Díaz, president of the Feminicide Commission, the new law defines stalking as occurring through both physical means and information and communication technologies. The crime is characterized by repeated, systematic, or continuous monitoring, pursuit, or contact without consent, intended to control, intimidate, or coerce the victim, resulting in anxiety, fear, or significant disruption to daily life.

Offenders face one to three years in prison and fines of sixty to three hundred days. Penalties will increase by one-third in specific circumstances, such as when the victim is a minor, when there is a pre-existing domestic, familial, or romantic relationship, or when the perpetrator holds a position of power over the victim, such as in a workplace or educational setting.