Carmen Reynés regrets that the Spanish Government’s announcement of new specialised judicial sections on violence against women in the Balearic Islands once again excludes Menorca
The Minister of Social Welfare of Menorca, Carmen Reynés, has expressed regret that the recent announcement by the Spanish Government regarding the creation of new judicial sections specialised in violence against women in the Balearic Islands — specifically in Manacor, Palma, and Ibiza — once again leaves Menorca aside.
Reynés voiced her “deep concern” over the lack of attention to the island’s specific needs, as it is again excluded from national judicial policies meant to protect victims of gender-based violence. Currently, Menorca only has two mixed courts, which also deal with other judicial matters, making it difficult to provide specialised and prompt care to victims.
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The Consell Insular of Menorca Demands a Dedicated Judicial Section for Gender-Based Violence on the Island
“Gender-based violence knows no borders, but it does require a response. And the victims in Menorca have the same right as any other woman in the Balearic Islands to receive specialised, targeted, and close legal protection,” said Reynés.
Given this situation, the Minister has urged Spain’s Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños, to urgently create a dedicated gender-based violence judicial section in Menorca. “The reality in Menorca has not been considered in the latest announcement from the government led by Pedro Sánchez,” Reynés stated.
The Consell Insular emphasised that comprehensive care for gender-based violence victims requires effective coordination between social services and the judiciary, and without an appropriate judicial structure, such a response is severely compromised.
In addition, Reynés highlighted the lack of a court-appointed psychologist or forensic expert in the technical team at Menorca’s courts — a gap that negatively affects proceedings involving gender violence victims.
“From the Department of Social Welfare, we have carried out major improvements in the protection system against gender-based and sexual violence, with a strong commitment to offering specialised, high-quality, direct, and close support to victims,” Reynés explained. Among the measures implemented by the Consell Insular, she highlighted the increase in staff and the launch of new resources, such as a crisis centre, an essential service for the immediate care of victims of sexual violence. Moreover, emergency housing has been made available through a dedicated apartment for victims needing immediate protection and assistance following sexual assault.
“In parallel, we are working on relocating the Women’s Advisory Centre, which will allow us to provide a broader, more integrated, and specialised service on the island. We’ve also signed a new agreement to ensure psychological care for minors who are victims of gender-based violence. All of this reaffirms our strong commitment to fighting all forms of violence,” Reynés said.
“However, while we are making significant efforts at the island level to improve victim care, unfortunately, we do not see the same level of commitment from the State toward Menorca. We continue to face a worrying lack of personnel, including the court psychologist position, which has remained vacant for over three years. On top of that, the decision not to create a specialised court for violence against women in Menorca is an unacceptable shortcoming that limits the judiciary’s capacity to respond effectively to these cases,” she added.
“Menorca deserves the same level of protection, resources, and institutional sensitivity as any other region. We cannot allow the victims on our island to continue being treated as second-class citizens. We are not asking for privileges — we are asking for territorial equity and genuine commitment,” Reynés concluded.