• Thousands march in Madrid and Barcelona to commemorate International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women.
• Pedro Sanchez called on men to step forward to end machismo.
• 1,171 women have died as a result of gender violence in Spain since 2003.

On Friday evening, thousands of people marched in Madrid and Barcelona to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In the city center of Madrid, protesters carrying banners and yelling “no means no, everything else is rape” and “we women are not goods” marched through Gran Via while wearing purple. People in Barcelona beat drums and lighted flames.

According to the Ministry of Equality, 1,171 women have died as a result of gender violence in Spain since 2003, when official records began to be kept. 38 women have died in 2022 thus far.

“I’ve come here because of the problem of gender violence, because of all the deaths that are occurring, the mistreatment of women…” said teacher and Madrid resident Susana Rita, 42.

On Friday, Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain, called men to step forward to end machismo.

“Male violence is a tragic reality that shames us every day,” he said at a Socialist Party event.

As a result of the revelation that some men have had their prison sentences lowered due to a gap in a new rule limiting sanctions for sexual abuse, politicians are enraged and engaged in fierce debate.

The statute, commonly known as the “only yes means yes” rule, classifies all non-consensual sexual activity as rape but reduces the mandatory minimum punishments for some sexual offenses.

According to Europa Press, at least eleven convicted sexual offenders have had their sentences reduced, and five individuals have been released from prison.

On Friday evening, chants of “only yes means yes” reverberated through the audience.

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