A scandal is unfolding in Sevilla over electronic bracelets that are supposed to protect women who have suffered domestic violence. One of the victims, whom we will call Yulia, has been living in constant fear for a year: the device that was meant to keep her abuser away has proven to be virtually useless.
Over the course of one weekend, Yulia’s former partner violated the restraining order about thirty times. Despite numerous reports to the police, the courts were unable to take action—the geolocation system mistakenly registered that Yulia herself was approaching the aggressor. As a result, all complaints were dismissed, and the man continued to harass her with impunity.
Psychological pressure and a constant sense of danger drove Yulia to attempt suicide. Her son saved her by intervening just in time. Yet even after this, nothing changed: the bracelet continues to malfunction, and false alarms go off several times a day. Every time the device sounds, Yulia is forced to call support services, but receives no help. The sense of hopelessness only grows.
The problem is compounded by the fact that each police officer is responsible for too many women at risk. The system simply cannot handle the workload. Yulia and her lawyer have gathered volumes of evidence of violations, but due to technical mistakes, none of it has been taken into account. Even when they came face to face with her stalker, the bracelet didn’t respond.
Court proceedings drag on for years. A recent hearing in Yulia’s case was postponed yet again—this time until May 2026. All this time, she is forced to live in constant tension, fearing for her life and health. She photographs her location, records conversations with operators, but none of this yields any results. The system meant to protect has effectively become a tool for new suffering.
Yulia’s story is just one among thousands like it in Spain. Despite officials’ claims about the reliability of electronic bracelets, the reality is far bleaker. Victims are left alone with their aggressors, and state protection turns out to be a mere formality. Unless the authorities acknowledge the scale of the problem, the situation is unlikely to change.
