Marbella murder of Venezuelan trans woman sparks calls for gender-based violence classification

The Asociación Trans española de Andalucía-Sylvia Rivera (ATA) is demanding that the murder of Franyel, a 35-year-old Venezuelan transgender woman, be officially recognized as a crime of gender-based violence. The killing occurred on Sunday, August 9, in Marbella, southern Spain, at the hands of her partner.

ATA president Mar Cambrollé criticized the Spanish government for administrative negligence, noting that it took over three years after the passage of the Trans Law to enable procedures for transgender migrants to update their legal documentation. The organization expressed concern that documentary discrepancies resulting from this delay might be used by judicial authorities to deny Franyel’s identity as a woman and, consequently, deny the classification of her murder as gender-based violence. ATA is calling on the Spanish Ministries of Equality and Justice to ensure that transgender migrant women receive full legal protection regardless of registration status.