One of the most relevant political issues in our society is that of male chauvinist violence, its various forms of expression and the origin of such reprehensible behavior. There are many cases of sexual assault, gang rapes, male chauvinist murders and gender violence that we are experiencing lately. Nor are there few racist arguments used by some to expressly blame immigrants, foreigners. Nor are there fewer arguments in defense of immigration from a supposed "moral superiority" that some have granted themselves. Thus, to avoid the influence of one and the other discourse, I am going to expose and explain the data extracted from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), in the period between 2013 and 2018.
According to data from the INE, for this period the population of adult men was made up of 89.74% Spaniards (16,665,096 inhabitants) and 10.26% foreigners (1,905,109 inhabitants). In the same period, the average number of complaints of gender violence with the application of precautionary measures (Precautionary measures are an instrument of Criminal Procedure Law that allows ensuring compliance with the law, through provisional detention and the protection of Victims of Domestic Violence or Comprehensive Protection against Gender Violence) was 19,121 for Spaniards and 9,213 for foreigners (foreigners are understood as any non-nationalized emigrant residing in Spain). Looking at the gross data, we could say that the xenophobic discourses of parties like VOX are false. But, if we analyze the gross data and extract the average rate (proportion between two data) of defendants per 10,000 adult men during the same period, we see that for Spaniards it was 11.47 and for foreigners it was 48.65 (4 times more complaints against foreigners). Thus, according to data from the INE, more complaints of gender violence are filed with the application of precautionary measures against foreigners than against Spaniards in proportion to their male population; and, while these complaints increase for foreigners in the analyzed period, for Spaniards they remain relatively stable. Despite this, not all complaints prosper.
According to the CGPJ, the average rate of men tried for violence against women (JVM) per 10,000 adult men is 8.85 for Spaniards and 24.52 for foreigners. This is 3 times more in the case of foreigners compared to Spaniards. Again, on average, foreigners are more likely to be tried compared to Spaniards. For the period analyzed, the percentage of defendants by group increases for foreigners, while for Spaniards it remains stable.
But, judged does not mean convicted. In this case, and according to data from the CGPJ, the average rate per 10,000 adult men convicted is 6.86 for Spaniards and 21.28 for foreigners. Again, foreigners are convicted more often than Spaniards. About 3.2 times more.
Now, if we resort to crimes against sexual freedom (rapes, sexual assaults, etc.), we can observe the same trend according to data from the INE, with the average rate being 1.20 for Spaniards and 3.26 for foreigners. Almost 3 times more for foreigners.
Although the raw data provides us with a simple argument, that Spaniards are denounced, accused and convicted in greater quantity than foreigners, the reality ceases to be simple when analyzed in more depth. It is undeniable that, proportionally to the number of adults, foreigners surpass Spaniards in all aspects.
To give you an idea, if we apply the average rate of foreigners convicted of crimes against sexual freedom to the population of Spanish men, we would go from 2,001 convictions on average, to 6,523 (foreigners have an average of 623 convictions). That is, 4,500 more cases. If we return to the data in point 1, it is impossible to deny that the conviction rate for foreigners is disturbing given that the adult population of the same only represents 10% of the total adult male population.
But why so much difference between one group and another? What are the compelling reasons that lead to this situation?
The answer lies in the cultural factor. In itself, and broadly speaking, culture is the customs and attitudes that we acquire in our primary and secondary social environment. That is, through our family and the society that surrounds us. At the same time, culture defines the values by which we are governed and which are translated into laws that, in turn, determine the coexistence between the individuals of a community. Thus, modern and ancient cultures have regulated customs that, to us, may seem strange. On the other hand, many cultural customs have been eliminated or forged in society through a certain regulation to later be widely rejected or accepted. For example, women's suffrage or punishments for abuse in the home.
Not all cultures evolve at the same speed, nor do they abandon retrograde and meaningless behaviors at the same time as they adopt certain social ideas and values. Under this logic we can understand the difference in data between "Spaniards" and "foreigners". What is more, as empirical evidence we have the data from the Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean, where Spain is in the lowest positions while countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela or Peru surpass us both in absolute numbers and in rate. And the same happens with foreigners from the African continent.
Some believe that this problem can be solved with integration and education measures and tools. True, in part. Although education is the most important mechanism to eliminate reprehensible behaviors, it must be accompanied by other measures in addition to integration. Nor does it mean that these procedures always work with foreign adults or minors, with customs and ideas already inherent in their behavior. If it is difficult to modify the behavior of those born in Spain and educated in our society, how can we expect to change those who have always lived with other ideas, values and customs both at a family and social level? It is almost impossible, if not absurd.
A foreigner who migrates usually does so in search of a better life. That is what is always said. What is not said is that they may not do it for our ideas or our values. Not all foreigners share our vision of society despite wanting to be part of it.
In short, it is not racism if we affirm that immigrant foreigners, legal or not, have a greater incidence than Spaniards in crimes against women. It is an undeniable objective fact. Nor does it mean that immigration is a problem per se. The basis of everything lies in the omission that is made of a factor that surrounds all human behavior, the cultural one. Denying it is to favor an increase in crimes against women and racist arguments, while accepting it means facing the problem from its base while silencing those anachronistic and exclusionary voices. But who dares now to change the political discourse?
Alejandro Pérez O`Pray Political and Administration Sciences from the UNED.
Alejandro Pérez O`Pray Political and Administration Sciences from the UNED.
