Spanish judges and legal specialists have warned that electronic tracking bracelets used to enforce restraining orders are failing and leaving domestic violence victims exposed. Speaking on the radio program La Linterna with host Ruben Corral, legal professionals stated that coverage gaps and outdated hardware have severely compromised victim security during a summer surge in reported cases.
The legal professionals reported that technical faults and coverage dead zones prevent authorities from monitoring offender locations effectively. They added that the bulky ankle monitors publicly identify victims rather than controlling the movements of their aggressors.
Problems with electronic tracking devices
Seville violence against women judge Francisco Gutierrez acknowledged that Spain established pioneering protections through its 2004 comprehensive law against gender violence. He noted that while the protective system served as a benchmark across Europe for years, core technological tools have degraded following recent contract changes and new concessions.
Gutierrez said that courts now experience widespread difficulties tracking offender locations and verifying compliance with restraining orders. He added that these technical failures cripple court response times whenever a safety incident occurs.
Specialist gender violence lawyer Irene Abellan reported that a growing number of courts are choosing not to impose electronic monitoring due to system unreliability. She described the approach bracelets as obsolete mechanisms that no longer offer viable protection.
Abellan added that forcing victims to wear large, visible ankle bracelets publicly singles them out instead of restricting aggressors. She warned that a restraining order backed by failing hardware functions as nothing more than an invisible border when an abuser decides to violate court terms.
History of technical failures and court workload
Concerns regarding electronic monitoring reliability follow earlier warnings from national authorities. The State General Prosecutor Office reported widespread operational failures in 2024 that prevented officials from verifying whether offenders had breached restraining order distances.
Domestic violence survivor Maria Jose Ferrero reported experiencing repeated technical disconnections with her assigned tracking unit. She stated that operators called her at two and three in the morning to inform her that the device had lost signal.
Ferrero explained that authorities had to replace her electronic monitor three times due to lost GPS connections. She noted that each equipment failure forced her to repeat administrative paperwork and continuously relive judicial proceedings.
Specialized courts face intense operational strain during peak summer caseloads. Judge Auxiliadora Diaz reported managing up to 12 custody cases in a single duty shift, after handling ten and nine cases on preceding days.
Resource shortages and lack of prior reporting
Gutierrez stated that severe court saturation prevents legal staff from offering individualized attention to victims. He noted that the Ministry expanded judicial competencies to cover sexual offenses, human trafficking, and forced marriages without delivering necessary personnel, psychologists, forensic doctors, or adapted facilities.
Gutierrez lamented that specialized courts have been left abandoned without the material resources needed to manage their expanded caseloads.
Legal specialists highlighted that many victims continue to endure abuse without filing formal complaints. Program figures revealed that ten of the 35 women killed by gender violence this year had never filed a prior complaint with authorities.
Abellan explained that many women refrain from reporting due to intense shame, fear, and difficulties in gathering evidence when threats leave no physical trace. She emphasized that legal measures will remain insufficient without comprehensive prevention programs starting in primary schools.
Judges and lawyers agreed that while Spain possesses advanced protective legislation, the judicial system requires urgent funding, reliable technological tools, and early educational outreach to prevent repeated seasonal spikes in gender violence.
