Nearly half of young adults in Spain say they experienced psychological violence during childhood or adolescence, according to a new government-backed report that has exposed what officials describe as a “structural problem” of abuse across the country.
The survey, conducted by Sigma Dos for Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children, found that 48% of respondents endured psychological harm, such as intimidation, control, and humiliation, while 40.5% said they suffered physical violence and one in three reported sexual abuse.
Researchers interviewed more than 9,000 young adults aged 18 to 30, making it the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted in Spain.
Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego called the findings “terrible,” saying violence against minors “cannot remain private but must become a matter for government action.” She said the study will now be repeated every two years to measure progress in tackling abuse.
The report builds on previous research, including a 2023 study by the Spanish Episcopal Conference titled To Give Light, which examined the child sexual abuse crisis in the Church. That report found that 6,083 minors were recorded as suffering physical or psychological abuse in 2017, while 4,542 reported sexual abuse.
By 2020, Spain’s Unified Registry of Child Abuse logged 21,521 notifications, a rise of more than 37% from the previous year. Experts warn that fewer than 15% of cases are reported, meaning the true scale of abuse is likely far greater.
A separate parliament-commissioned investigation, reported by the BBC last year, estimated that 200,000 children in Spain were sexually abused by Catholic clergy, with another 200,000 victims in institutions overseen by the Church.
The combined findings paint a bleak picture of child safety in Spain, underscoring calls for stronger prevention policies, early intervention, and greater accountability within both state and religious institutions.
Adapted from CDI.
