Vol. 15, Núm.  1 (2024)

Call for papers

Monograph: 20 years of the Organic Law on Comprehensive Protection Measuares against Gender Violence in Spain: implementation, development, impact and future challenges

On December 28, 2004, Organic Law on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence, was passed in Spain during the government of President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. A comprehensive law that aims to address, in a wide range of areas, the personal and social problems arising from gender-based violence that women experience and have experienced at the hands of their partners or ex-partners. A pioneering law that has served as a mirror for legislation around the world.

Since 2003, when the murders of women at the hands of their partners or ex-partners began to be registered, Spain has recorded the killing of 1239 women. Likewise, since 2013, when the recording of vicarious murders began, 52 minors have been killed by their own parents or by their mother's partner or ex-partner (Government Delegation For Gender Violence, 2024).

This reality is not limited to Spain. According to the United Nations (UN), although there is still a significant lack of complete, reliable, comparable and updated data on violence against women and girls, it is estimated that 736 million women -almost one in three- have been victims of physical or sexual violence by their partner, sexual violence outside the couple, or both, at least once in their lives (30% of women aged 15 and over). In addition, according to 2022 data, around 48.800 women and girls died at the hands of their partners or other family members worldwide. In other words, a woman or girl is killed every hour by someone in her own family.

In an attempt to alleviate this situation, Organic Law 1/2004 developed, as indicated in the explanatory memorandum, both preventive, educational, social, welfare and aftercare aspects for victims, as well as civil regulations affecting the family or cohabitation environment, where the aggressions mainly take place, and the principle of subsidiarity in the Public administrations. It also addressed the punitive response that all manifestations of violence regulated by the Law should receive. In addition, awareness-raising, prevention, detection and intervention measures were determined in different areas, such as education, advertising, the media and health.

Contributions will be made along the following thematic lines:

  1. Evolution of gender-based violence in Spain in the time frame since the implementation of the law.
  2. Prevention and awareness of gender violence.
  3. Legislative and penal framework of gender violence in Spain and its comparison with other countries in the world.
  4. Impact and prevention of gender violence in the educational environment.
  5. Impact and prevention of gender-based violence in the health care setting.
  6. Impact and prevention of gender violence in the field of social services.
  7. Gender violence and cultural contents.
  8. Gender violence and the media.
  9. Gender violence in the digital environment.
  10. Adaptation of Spanish and European legislation to the Istanbul Convention.

Coordinated by: Dr. Dunia Etura Hernández (Gender Studies Chair, University of Valladolid, Spain), Dr. Virginia Martín Jiménez (Gender Studies Chair University of Valladolid, Spain), Dr. Carla Cerqueira (Lusófona University, CICANT, Portugal) and Dr. Virginia García Beaudoux (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Dates and deadlines:

Submission of original articles: Until 31 March 2024.

Review of original articles: As received and until 15 April 2024.

Publication: May 2024.