As the Spanish government takes part today, 8 March, in demonstrations and official events marking International Women’s Day, political attention is increasingly turning to an uncomfortable development: the sharp rise in reported sexual offences in Spain.
According to official figures from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, the number of recorded rapes (sexual assaults with penetration) has increased from 1,382 cases in 2017 to 5,363 cases in 2025. The statistics, drawn from the government’s annual crime reports, have fuelled a growing political debate about security and public policy in the country.
Spain Press Editorial Team
Rising figures during the years of the Sánchez government
Since Pedro Sánchez and the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) came to power in 2018, the number of recorded sexual offences has risen significantly in official crime statistics. Opposition parties argue that the trend reflects a deterioration in public safety and have criticised the government’s policies on justice, security and social integration.
Critics point to what they describe as a political contradiction: while the government has positioned itself internationally as a strong advocate of feminist policies and women’s rights, official statistics show a marked increase in the most serious sexual offences.
One of the most controversial elements in this debate remains the “Only Yes Means Yes” law, adopted in 2022, which fundamentally reformed Spain’s sexual offence legislation. The reform later sparked political controversy after several courts reduced prison sentences for convicted offenders due to changes in legal definitions.
Additional pressure from political scandals
Political pressure on the government has also been intensified by a series of scandals involving members of the PSOEin recent years. Opposition parties have accused the government of promoting strong moral narratives while internal controversies have repeatedly made headlines.
The combination of rising crime figures, legal disputes surrounding the reform of sexual offence laws and political scandals has pushed the issue of security back to the centre of Spain’s political debate.
Government and experts offer a different interpretation
The government and several criminologists insist, however, that the rise in reported cases does not necessarily mean that more crimes are being committed. They argue that the figures are also influenced by changes in legal definitions, statistical recording methods and a greater willingness among victims to report offences. For many years, sexual violence in Spain – as in many other European countries – has been affected by a significant dark figure of unreported cases.
A politically charged International Women’s Day
As a result, this year’s International Women’s Day in Spain is marked not only by marches and political speeches, but also by an intense national debate about security, equality policies and public trust in institutions.
What is clear is that the discussion surrounding crime figures, legal reforms and political responsibility is likely to remain a central issue in Spain’s political landscape in the months ahead.
