In Spain, two out of 10 people believe that forcing a partner to have sex is "unacceptable", but that it should not be punished by law.
And almost three out of 10 think the same thing about kissing a woman against her will.
And still, one in 10 people respond “spontaneously” that men who sexually assault a woman do so because they “have mental problems”.
These are some of the conclusions of the latest survey by the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) on the social perception of sexual violence against women, published this Wednesday.
After 2,500 telephone interviews with citizens over the age of 18, carried out between January 20 and 25, the CIS analysis reflects on the one hand the extent of sexual violence in Spain: 80% answered affirmatively when asked if they knew " personally” to a woman who, at some point in her life, had suffered a sexual assault in her circle (35.1%), in her neighborhood (27.2%) or at work or place of study (17.5%). %).
The women themselves, who were asked about themselves, answered yes on two out of ten occasions (21.7%).
It also reflects that the majority of the population believes that equality between women and men has advanced in the last decade —67.8% think that inequality is less than 10 years ago—, although the idea still persists that this balance is already it has been reached —38% believe that inequality in Spain is small or almost non-existent, despite figures such as the wage gap, which ranges from 8% in the thirty-something age group to 30% over 65 years of age , according to the data of the Tax Agency of 2021—.
And there are also stereotypes around the idea of sexual violence.
9.4% of those surveyed consider that touching a woman against her will should not be a crime;
almost half think the same about “making comments and suggestions of a sexual nature” to a woman, even if she doesn't want to, and 28.1% believe that paying for having sex is “acceptable in some circumstances”.
Even so, there are certain behaviors already considered crimes in the Sexual Freedom law that are widely rejected by society, for example, "deliberately giving alcohol or drugs to a woman, without her knowing it, in order to have sexual relations with she".
98.3% believe that it is unacceptable and should be punishable.
And it also occurs in the digital sphere, in which society more clearly identifies violence.
Thus, the vast majority, between 80% and 97% consider unacceptable and punishable by law issues such as "sending emails or text messages with unwanted sexual content", "sharing photographs or videos of a sexual nature through social networks without the consent of the people who appear in the photo or video”, “pressure a person to send nude photos of themselves” or “blackmail a person by disseminating photos or videos of a sexual nature”.
Although there is a nuance, 4 out of 10 believe that "making offensive or embarrassing comments about someone on the Internet or social networks" is "unacceptable" but should not be punishable.
Although almost 74% believe that they are behaviors that are quite or very widespread.
The publication of this survey coincides with the political and social debate on the reform of the
law that only yes is yes
and the alarm generated by the reductions in sentences and releases of prisoners of sexual crimes.
An issue that, beyond the technical aspects, has its roots in the change in the model that involves consent as the axis of the norm, the will of women in sex as the central point to discern what is and what is not sexual violence .
Something that during the birth and parliamentary processing of the law provoked firm opposition from the right and extreme right, who spoke of "signing a contract" to have sexual relations or questioned whether it could, and was necessary, guarantee consent and put it in the center of a law.
“Your program says: we will guarantee with the Penal Code that everything that is not a yes is a no.
Are they really going to guarantee that?
Criminally?
Is a silence a no?
You say that a silence is a no, and a doubt, are you really saying yes, yes, yes until the end? , to María Jesús Montero, Minister of Finance at that time.
This context also emerges from some of the questions asked in the CIS survey.
For example, 21.2% believe that "repeatedly asking for sexual relations without pressure or threats" cannot be classified as sexual harassment, 22.1% also do not believe that asking "questions about private matters of their sexual life" constitutes harassment, and 16.1% believe it about "sexual innuendo or hints."
Although this time it has coincided with the public and political conversation around sexual freedom, it is not the first time that the CIS questions on this matter.
In 2019 and 2014, it already carried out the
Macro-survey on Violence against Women
, which also dealt with sexual violence.
And in 2017 he published the
Social Perception of Sexual Violence
survey .
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