New law to prevent and punish sexual violence

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law defines sexual violence as any non-consensual sexual act, including crimes under the Criminal Code, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, harassment with sexual connotations, and trafficking for sexual exploitation, with special attention to digital violence.
2. It removes the distinction between sexual aggression and sexual abuse: all conduct that violates sexual freedom without consent is now sexual aggression. Chemical submission is expressly included as a way of committing the crime.
3. Victims have the right to comprehensive assistance: information, medical and psychological care, recovery services, legal advice, translation and interpretation, and free 24-hour crisis centers.
4. Victims have labor rights: reduced or reorganized working hours, workplace change, suspension of the contract with job protection, and justified, paid absences due to the physical or psychological effects of the violence.
5. Victims with low income can receive financial aid equal to six months of unemployment subsidy, extended based on disability or dependents, and compatible with other benefits.
6. Victims in an irregular administrative situation have the same rights as everyone else, and no sanctioning proceedings will be opened over their immigration status when they report sexual violence.
7. Victims have the right to reparation, including compensation for material and moral damages, full recovery, symbolic reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition, partly funded with assets seized from convicted offenders.
8. Prevention and training are strengthened: sex education and equality in schools, institutional campaigns, measures for companies and public administration, and mandatory training for education, health, police, justice, and forensic professionals.

Who it affects

• Women, girls, and boys who are victims of sexual violence in Spain: They have the right to comprehensive assistance, financial aid, labor rights, and reparation.
• Victims in an irregular administrative situation: They access the same rights and can obtain residence and work permits; they are not sanctioned for reporting.
• Companies and public administrations: They must prevent sexual harassment, train staff, and adopt action protocols.
• Education, health, police, and justice professionals: They must receive specific training in prevention, detection, and victim support.
• People convicted of crimes against sexual freedom: Penalties and prison classification rules are tougher; their seized assets fund victim aid.

Words worth knowing

Ley orgánica (organic law)

A type of Spanish law reserved for important matters, requiring an absolute majority in Congress to pass.

Sumisión química (chemical submission)

Drugging a person with medications, drugs, or other substances to nullify their will and commit a sexual crime.

Subsidio por desempleo (unemployment subsidy)

A monthly government payment for people who are unemployed and meet certain requirements.

Interseccionalidad (intersectionality)

The situation of someone facing several forms of discrimination at once, for example gender and disability.

Victimización secundaria (secondary victimization)

Additional harm suffered by a victim from how institutions or the legal process treat them, not from the crime itself.

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