The Crisis centre for victims of sexual violence in the northern Spanish region Asturias has supported 13 cases of digital sexual violence so far in 2026. Nine of them involved Minors, as the news agency Europa Press reported on 15 November. According to the report, the cases account for around a third of all cases of this kind recorded by the centre since it opened.
According to the report, situations supported by the centre include the distribution of intimate images without consent, online sexual harassment and sexual exploitation online. It also mentions the manipulation of images with sexual content using artificial intelligence. The report does not say how the 13 cases are divided among these forms.
The figures cover cases supported by the crisis centre and do not indicate the overall scale of digital sexual violence in Asturias. Nor can the proportion of minors among the cases supported be taken to show their share of all victims in the region. Europa Press refers to an increase in demand for advice, but gives no comparable figures for an equally long period in the previous year.
According to the news agency, the regional government has set up a specialised contact channel for victims of digital sexual violence. The service is called “Conectadas sin miedo”, roughly “Connected without fear” in English. Crisis centre professionals provide information and advice through the channel, and help people access further support. According to Europa Press, the service can be contacted by email around the clock, every day. Support includes psychological support, legal advice and social support.
The crisis centre began operating on 25 November 2020, as the Asturian Women's Institute confirms on its website. The centre supports people who have experienced sexual violence, as well as those close to them. Its earlier overall figures relate to different forms of sexual violence and are therefore not directly comparable with the 13 digital cases.
The latest figures also do not say whether or when the incidents supported were reported to the police. The report also gives neither the number of suspected perpetrators nor the number of investigations. It describes use of a support service, not a complete crime statistic.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).