# Spain confronts surge in femicide killings > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/professional-sexual-abuse-prosecutions > Updated: 2026-08-07T20:13:46.000Z. Sources: 135. Developments: 26. Through August 2026 Spain’s courts kept a hard‑line stance on gender‑based and sexual violence, with convictions rising across offender types. By July the femicide tally for 2026 stood at 28, driven by cases in Mijas and other regions. On 21 July 2026 three women were killed in separate incidents within 24 hours, raising the toll to 31 and prompting a national emergency declaration by Equality Minister Ana Redondo and a crisis committee announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The violence wave continued: on 5 August 2026 two women were killed by their ex‑partners in Llanes, Asturias and the Carrefour Infante shopping centre in Murcia. The Asturias victim was a 50‑year‑old Guardia Civil officer; the Murcia victim was a 44‑year‑old woman. Both perpetrators had prior abuse reports and restraining orders. The murders left 26 minors orphaned, brought the 2026 femicide total to 35 and to 1 376 since records began in 2003, and led to the arrest of Juan Bautista in Puerto Lumbreras. Two days later, on 7 August, a further pair of gender‑based killings occurred in public spaces – a shooting inside the Llanes barracks and a shooting in a shoe store at the Murcia mall – raising the yearly count to 36. Officials stressed the moral nature of such crimes and renewed calls to review protective tools such as the VioGén risk‑assessment system. Judicial bodies flagged systemic strain. Provincial court leaders urged reforms to the overloaded sections handling violence against women, while the Supreme Court ordered €2.5 million compensation for two wrongful‑imprisonment cases, underscoring the need for procedural safeguards. Campaigns in Andalusia, Vélez‑Málaga and other municipalities amplified the 900 200 999 hotline and the 016 helpline. Public response intensified. ## Claims - Juan Bautista fled the scene and is being searched for by the National Police. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The suspect is a 38-year-old man named Juan Bautista, the victim's partner. (corroborated by 7 sources) - A restraining order prohibiting communication with the victim had been in force since April 2023 and was set to expire in August 2027. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The victim had a fatal neck wound. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Juan Bautista had been on sick leave for depression. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Two women were murdered on 5 August 2026 in Spain, one in Llanes (Asturias) and one in Murcia. (corroborated by 4 sources) - A 44-year-old woman was found dead in a shoe‑repair workshop at Carrefour Infante in Murcia. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The victim in Asturias was a 50‑year‑old female Guardia Civil agent killed by her 49‑year‑old ex‑partner, also a Guardia Civil officer. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The murders left 26 minors orphaned in 2026. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The Asturias perpetrator was shot dead by police after the attack. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The total number of femicide victims in Spain since 2003 is 1 376. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Ministry of Equality condemned the murders and reminded the public of the 016 helpline and other support services. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-07: Spain records two gender‑based murders in public spaces within 24 hours Two gender‑based murders in Spain—Guardia Civil officer Laura Cruz shot in Llanes and a woman killed in a Murcia mall—occurred within 24 hours, raising the yearly total to 36 and sparking calls to improve women 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-records-two-genderbased-murders-in-public-spaces-within-24-hours ### 2026-08-05: Spain's femicide count rises to 35 in 2026 after murders in Asturias and Murcia Two femicides on 5 Aug 2026 – a Guardia Civil officer in Asturias and a 44‑year‑old woman in Murcia – raise Spain’s 2026 gender‑based murder count to 35; suspect Juan Bautista was later arrested. 34 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/man-kills-partner-in-murcia-shopping-centre-shoe-workshop ### 2026-07-21: Spain records three femicide killings in 24 hours, prompting national outcry Three women were slain in Spain within a day – in Toledo, Málaga’s Antequera and Benahavís – raising the 2026 femicide count to 31 and prompting national government and union condemnations. 25 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/almorad-womans-death-ruled-natural-husband-released ### 2026-07-17: Third Gender Violence Fatality Reported in Madrid A Madrid woman died after a brutal attack by two men reportedly hired by her ex‑husband, the third gender‑based murder in the region, sparking calls for stronger protection measures. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/madrid-woman-killed-in-genderbased-attack-underscores-rising-violence ### 2026-07-15: Argentina, Spain and Peru court convictions for violent crimes Argentina, Spain and Peru courts upheld convictions for attempted homicide, grooming, murder and robbery, sentencing perpetrators to years in prison. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-impose-prison-terms-for-child-sexual-abuse-and-concert-iphone-theft ### 2026-07-14: Spain 2025 crime stats show rise in sexual offenses INE 2025 data show adult sexual‑offence convictions up 15% to 4,531 and minor sexual offences up 6% to 584, while overall convictions fell; regional spikes appear in Ceuta, Melilla and Galicia. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-sees-15-rise-in-adult-sexual-offence-convictions ### 2026-07-13: Spain's Government Holds Minute of Silence for Gender Violence Victims Spain’s government delegations in Ciudad Real and Ceuta observed a minute of silence for a mother and daughter killed in Mijas, marking the 28th gender‑based murder in 2026 and urging stronger prevention and 지원 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spains-government-holds-minute-of-silence-for-gender-violence-victims ### 2026-07-12: Spanish courts sentence men to prison for sexual abuse of minors and women Spanish courts sentenced two men to 9‑10 years in prison for sexual assaults, imposing compensation and bans from working with minors. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-sentence-men-to-prison-for-sexual-abuse-of-minors-and-women ### 2026-07-10: Spanish courts impose prison terms for domestic violence offenses in Galicia and Mallorca Spanish courts handed prison or community‑service sentences in several domestic‑violence cases, including a near‑four‑year term in Mallorca and up to nine‑year terms in Galicia. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-hand-down-rulings-in-two-domesticviolence-cases-in-galicia ### 2026-07-09: Belorado ex‑nuns launch petition to avoid prison Seven former Belorado nuns facing up to 12‑year sentences have started a Change.org petition calling for a proportional alternative to prison, citing past public support for their cause. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belorado-exnuns-launch-petition-to-avoid-prison ### 2026-07-09: Volleyball coach receives 8½-year prison term for sexual assault of minor in Gran Canaria A Portuguese volleyball coach in Gran Canaria was sentenced by the Audiencia Provincial to 8½ years in prison for repeated sexual assault of a 16‑year‑old player, with additional bans, compensation and a period 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/volleyball-coach-receives-8-year-prison-term-for-sexual-assault-of-minor-in-gran-canaria ### 2026-07-09: Catalan police officer sentenced to 21 years for sexual assault of disabled woman A Catalan police officer received 21 years in prison and a €60,000 fine for sexually assaulting and filming a disabled woman after deceiving her with a fake massage‑academy scheme. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-priest-and-mexican-doctor-sentenced-in-major-sexual-abuse-cases ### 2026-07-07: Spanish courts sentence men in separate violent assault trials Spanish courts sentenced a man for a coworker stabbing in Rianxo and another for a lance attack on his ex‑wife in Vigo, with prosecutors seeking 12+ and 17 years respectively. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-sentence-men-in-separate-violent-assault-trials ### 2026-07-07: Tenerife Court Schedules Trials for Multiple Sexual Assault Cases Two sexual‑assault trials in Tenerife set for 15 July: one for a rape of an ex‑partner (15‑year sentence sought) and another for a double assault of a minor (9‑ and 6‑year terms sought). 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tenerife-court-schedules-trials-for-multiple-sexual-assault-cases ### 2026-07-07: Landlord sentenced for sexual abuse and coercion in Murcia, Spain A Murcia landlord was sentenced to 1 ½ years prison, fined and ordered to pay €1,000 after sexually assaulting and coercing a Moroccan tenant, with a 2‑year restraining order imposed. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/landlord-sentenced-for-sexual-abuse-and-coercion-in-murcia-spain ### 2026-07-06: Spain tallies 27 gender‑based murders in 2026, urges heightened alert Spain reports 27 gender‑based murders in 2026 (1,368 total since 2003); officials call for heightened alert, increase summer police protection, and towns observe a minute of silence. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-tallies-27-genderbased-murders-in-2026-urges-heightened-alert ### 2026-07-05: Spain's 'La Manada' case hits 10‑year mark, spurs legal reforms Ten years after the 2016 Pamplona gang‑rape, Spain’s ‘La Manada’ case spurred nationwide protests, a consent‑focused law change, and ongoing imprisonment of the perpetrators. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-marks-10year-anniversary-of-la-manada-gang-rape-and-related-legal-reforms ### 2026-06-30: Spanish courts order retrial and acquit in separate sexual assault cases Spain’s Andalusian high court orders a retrial in a Cádiz sexual abuse case, while Valencia’s court acquits two singers of alleged assault on a minor. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-order-retrial-and-acquit-in-separate-sexual-assault-cases ### 2026-06-30: Andalusia and Vélez‑Málaga launch summer campaigns against gender violence Andalusia and Vélez‑Málaga have launched summer campaigns to combat gender‑based violence, promoting a 24‑hour hotline and a “any woman” poster drive to raise awareness and prevention. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/andalusia-and-vlezmlaga-launch-summer-campaigns-against-gender-violence ### 2026-06-29: Spain confronts femicide surge with protests and a 25‑year prosecution case Protests in San Fernando de Henares denounce a recent femicide, while prosecutors seek a 25‑year sentence for Miguel Molina over the murder of his wife in Aldea del Rey. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-confronts-femicide-surge-with-protests-and-a-25year-prosecution-case ### 2026-06-28: Spanish courts schedule sexual assault trials in Albacete and Ciudad Real Spanish courts set sexual assault trials: a hairdresser in Albacete faces three years jail and fines; a Puertollano man accused of assaulting two minors faces eleven years imprisonment, both cases involve calls 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-schedule-sexual-assault-trials-in-albacete-and-ciudad-real ### 2026-06-28: Spain records 6% rise in gender‑based violence complaints in first quarter 2026 Spain's first‑quarter 2026 gender‑based violence complaints rose 6.4% to 50,911, victims up 3.8%, while protection orders fell; regional trends vary, and new awareness campaigns are underway. 15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ourense-launches-exclusive-genderviolence-court ### 2026-06-23: Spanish judges council urged to address gender‑violence court overload and political intimidation Spanish judges council faced calls to relieve overloaded gender‑violence courts and criticism over alleged political intimidation of judges, highlighting resource needs and independence concerns. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-judges-council-urged-to-address-genderviolence-court-overload-and-political-intimidation ### 2026-06-18: Spain faces criticism over slow trials in gender‑based murder cases Families of two Spanish women killed in gender‑based murders demand swift justice as courts delay trials; prosecutors seek long prison terms for the Almería perpetrator. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-faces-criticism-over-slow-trials-in-genderbased-murder-cases ### 2026-06-10: Spanish courts impose long prison terms for sexual assault convictions Spanish courts sentenced two men to 11+ and 14 years for sexual assaults, one on a disabled client in Lugo and another on his ex‑wife and her son in Pamplona, with compensation and restraining orders. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-impose-long-prison-terms-for-sexual-assault-convictions ### 2026-05-12: Spanish courts convict massage therapist and prosecute university psychologist for sexual assault Spain sentences a massage therapist to 8+ years and prosecutes a university psychologist for sexual assault. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spanish-courts-convict-massage-therapist-and-prosecute-university-psychologist-for-sexual-assault --- Cite as: Spain confronts surge in femicide killings. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/professional-sexual-abuse-prosecutions