In Spain, people convicted of domestic or gender-based violence (violencia de género) may be required to attend court-mandated re-education or intervention programs aimed at:
- Challenging sexist beliefs and attitudes
- Promoting empathy for victims
- Preventing reoffending by changing behavioral patterns
These are referred to as “programas de intervención para agresores” and are part of Spain’s integrated legal and social response to gender violence.
📚 What the Programs Involve:
- Psychological Education:
- Teaching emotional regulation
- Managing impulsivity and anger
- Understanding the dynamics of abuse (power, control, trauma)
- Gender Equality Education:
- Deconstructing machismo culture and entitlement
- Raising awareness of how gender roles contribute to violence
- Encouraging respectful relationships
- Responsibility and Accountability:
- Offenders are encouraged to acknowledge the harm caused
- Challenging denial and minimization of abuse
- Developing non-violent conflict resolution skills
- Group Sessions:
- Often conducted in weekly group formats, lasting 6–9 months
- Facilitated by psychologists and specialists in gender violence
- Peer accountability is an important part of the process
- Monitoring and Reporting:
- Attendance and participation are tracked
- Reports are sent to the court
- Failure to attend can lead to revocation of suspended sentences or additional penalties
👮 Who Oversees These Programs?
- The General Directorate for Penal Enforcement and Reintegration (Dirección General de Ejecución Penal y Reinserción Social)
- Collaborating entities like psychological centers, regional gender violence units, or NGOs
- Sometimes included in probation services for offenders on parole
🛑 Are They Effective?
Research and government evaluations in Spain show mixed but encouraging results:
- High completion rates
- Reduced recidivism among those who actively participate and internalize the lessons
- Criticism remains that they work best only when the offender acknowledges wrongdoing, which is not always the case
