Franco-Era Abuse Apology Sparks Outrage: Survivors Demand Justice
A recent apology from Spanish Catholic leaders for the abuse of women in Franco-era rehabilitation centers has been met with widespread criticism and rejection from survivors. The apology, organized by CONFER, a Catholic group representing over 400 religious congregations, was intended to acknowledge the Church’s role in institutions that detained over 40,000 women and girls between the 1940s and 1985. However, survivors and protesters argue that the gesture lacked sincerity and failed to fully acknowledge the extent of the abuse.
Survivors described the centers as places of forced labor, religious indoctrination, and brutal punishments, often targeting girls as young as eight. Many in the audience erupted in protest, chanting “Truth, justice, and reparations” and “Neither forget, nor forgive,” as CONFER’s leaders read their apology. Survivors claimed their testimonies had been selectively edited, and key abuses, including forced adoptions, were left unaddressed. Paca Blanco, a survivor, asked, “How do you apologize to teenage girls that you have tortured, mistreated, disrespected, and exploited for labor? You’ve stolen their babies. How do you apologize for that?”
Campaigners are now calling on Spain’s government to officially recognize the survivors as victims of the dictatorship and begin a process similar to Ireland’s response to the Magdalene Laundries scandal. Consuelo García del Cid, an author and survivor, said, “This is one step forward in the ongoing battle. But democracy still owes us 10 years of life.” The survivors’ demands for justice and reparations continue to echo, as they seek acknowledgment and accountability for the trauma they endured.
