Protects minors in Spain from all forms of violence

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1. The law defines violence as any action, omission or negligent treatment that harms a minor, including physical and psychological abuse, school bullying, cyberbullying, gender violencegender violence Violence a woman suffers from a current or former partner because she is a woman., sexual exploitation and human trafficking. It also defines good treatment as treatment that respects minors' rights and promotes mutual respect.
2. Anyone who sees signs of violence against a minor must report it immediately to the competent authority. The duty is stricter for healthcare, school, sports and leisure, social services and child protection professionals, who must notify social services and, if there is danger, the Security Forces or the Public Prosecutor.
3. Minors who are victims of violence have the right to clear information, to be heard with no age limit, to comprehensive care, to defend their rights in court and to free legal aid, regardless of their means.
4. All schools, public or private, must apply protocols against bullying, cyberbullying, abuse, gender violence, suicide and self-harm, and must have a welfare and protection coordinator who serves as the main point of contact for students.
5. To work or volunteer in regular contact with minors, people must prove they have no criminal record for sexual offenses or human trafficking, using a certificate from the Central Register of Sex Offenders and Human Trafficking. If such a record appears later, the employee must stop working or change positions, and the volunteer must leave the activity.
6. The Criminal Code is toughened: serious crimes against minors now expire when the victim turns 35, the offender's forgiveness no longer ends criminal liability if the victim is under 18, and new crimes punish those who use the Internet to promote suicide, self-harm or eating disorders among minors.
7. In criminal proceedings, the testimony of minors under 14 and of people with disabilities needing special protection is taken as pre-constituted evidence, meaning it is recorded during the investigation phase and played at trial, so they testify only once and avoid secondary victimization.
8. A Central Register of information on violence against children is created, to which public administrations, the General Council of the Judiciary and the Security Forces must send data, and an annual report on the situation will be published.

Who it affects

• Children and teenagers in Spain: They receive protection from all forms of violence and new rights to be heard, informed and assisted.
• Families and parents: They can receive support and training in positive parenting, and should know that violent punishment is rejected by the law.
• Healthcare, school, sports and leisure, and social services professionals: They have a stricter duty to immediately report any sign of violence against a minor.
• Companies, organizations and volunteers working with minors: They must require a certificate of no sexual offense or trafficking record before hiring or accepting volunteers.
• Schools and child protection centers: They must apply action protocols and appoint welfare and protection coordinators.

Words worth knowing

Ciberacoso (cyberbullying)

Harassing someone through the Internet or a cell phone.

Victimización secundaria (secondary victimization)

The extra harm a victim suffers from how institutions and the legal process treat them, not from the crime itself.

Prueba preconstituida (pre-constituted evidence)

A witness statement recorded during the investigation phase, with safeguards, which is later played at trial so the witness does not have to testify again.

Silencio administrativo (administrative silence)

What is considered decided when the administration does not answer in time; here, if it does not respond within three months, the record cancellation request is deemed denied.

Patria potestad (parental authority)

The set of rights and duties parents have over their minor children, such as caring for, educating and representing them.

gender violence

Violence a woman suffers from a current or former partner because she is a woman.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries