Spain’s Secretary of State for Security, Aina Calvo, has warned that denialism, children’s access to pornography, and social media are three emerging threats that could undermine decades of progress in the fight against gender-based violence.
Calvo issued the warning during a ceremony in which the Civil Guard presented its annual awards marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. She criticised the rise of denialist narratives that “legitimise violence against women,” the spread of violent and degrading content through pornography, and the role of social media as “a vector of sexist values.”
She praised the Civil Guard for its dedication to protecting victims, stressing that although each case reflects an institutional failure, “thousands of lives have been saved thanks to public policies and shared efforts.” Calvo also emphasised that gender-based violence is structural and must be tackled through education, prevention, institutional unity, and strong social rejection.
Civil Guard Director General Mercedes González highlighted that the force handles the largest number of active cases in Spain’s VioGén protection system and announced a new satisfaction survey for victims to improve support services.
Fifth-Edition Awards
The Civil Guard recognised individuals and organisations for their work against gender-based violence:
- Aranjuez VioGén Team – for its work monitoring cases and its participation in a pilot victims’ satisfaction survey.
- Óscar Silva Álvarez – a senior officer from Navarra, honoured for a decade of outstanding work in the Emume-VioGén unit and in launching specialised teams.
- ANAR Foundation – recognised for its specialised support services for at-risk children and adolescents, particularly its hotline and chat service for minors affected by gender-based violence.
- Educational category – no award granted.
- Honorary recognition – awarded to Teresa Peramato, senior prosecutor at the Supreme Court and former national gender-violence prosecutor, for her long-standing commitment to justice and victims.
