Spain announces human trafficking bill, more help for victims of gender-based violence

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - As part of the celebration of International Women’s Day, the Spanish government announced several new measures on Friday intended to protect women from abuse and harassment.

“The government of Spain places equality, the perspective of gender, and the eradication of violence against women as absolute and cross-cutting priorities in its institutional activity,” said the country’s Equality Minister Ana Redondo.

One of the most notable announcements is that the government will revive the human trafficking bill, which was set aside before elections last July.

The proposed law, which Redondo says, is “not punitive,” but instead “centered on prevention and victim awareness,” encourages victims of trafficking, such as sex trafficking, to get out of situations of exploitation as soon as possible.

Under the new bill, trafficking victims would be eligible to receive welfare payments, be prioritized for public housing, and gain temporary resident permits, even without having to file legal complaints against those who are exploiting them.

Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska also spoke at a joint press conference to announce increased police protection for women who have been victims of gender-based violence.

The highlight of that is related to extending police follow-ups on abusive men, even after they have served their full sentences.

Of the 55 cases of femicide in Spain in 2023 until last Dec. 7, eight of the men were in the system, but deemed inactive by police due to the passage of time.

Marlaska said that going forward, those deemed to be of medium to high risk to abuse women again will only be considered “inactive” if they die, are imprisoned, or are in another circumstance that makes “an aggression impossible.”

Redondo also announced a new protocol against harassment within the government, clarifying what constitutes sexual harassment and expanding protection to more groups such as interns or freelance workers.

Spain’s progressive government also aims to offer unemployment subsidies to victims of sexual violence with income below the minimum wage.

Social Security Minister Elma Saiz also announced that victims of gender-based violence will be eligible for paid leave, similar to that of work-related accidents, which increases the amount of their salaries they can receive.