Rape culture in the police
The scandal caused by the sexual assault complaint filed by a female officer against the now-former Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the National Police, José Ángel Rodríguez, demonstrates the extent to which rape culture is present in our society, if the accusation proves true. That the highest-ranking civilian uniformed official in the State is accused of such a serious crime in a thoroughly documented complaint sends a terrible message: not even the police, who are supposed to uphold the law, are safe spaces for women facing this type of aggression. In this case, moreover, the alleged assault was committed against a subordinate, adding a textbook example of abuse of power.
The Ministry of the Interior, headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has dismissed him and his second-in-command, who was accused by the victim of trying to buy her silence. Needless to say, if there were even the slightest indication that Marlaska covered up for Rodríguez, he should resign. ipso facto for covering up the abuse and even facing criminal consequences, but at this time there is no evidence that this is the case. However, the minister pledged to resign if the victim requests it. Therefore, the political row orchestrated by the People's Party (PP) this Wednesday morning in Congress against Marlaska, demanding his resignation and accusing him of covering up the abuse without evidence, is incomprehensible. This is especially true given that the PP itself has not taken any action against the mayor of Móstoles, accused by a former councilwoman of sexual and workplace harassment. Furthermore, when the mayor's alleged victim went to the party's internal bodies, she was advised not to file any complaint.
The PP, therefore, cannot offer any lessons on the matter. It seems their overreaction stems solely from the need to instill in the collective imagination the feeling that Spain is living in perpetual chaos due to Pedro Sánchez's government. "Spain is falling apart," said Alberto Núñez Feijóo, conveniently ignoring the fact that his party governs in most of the autonomous communities and the most important city councils. Or do the institutions governed by the PP have no impact on reality? Preaching the apocalypse doesn't make it any more real.
Meanwhile, the ministry has appointed Gemma Barroso, until now the deputy director of human resources for the National Police, as interim DAO (Director of Operations). Barroso is the first woman to hold the position, albeit provisionally, and it also happens that she was the one who granted the victim leave for depression. It is rather troubling that the first woman to reach the position should do so under these circumstances, after her superiors have been accused of such crimes. It's the same thing that happened in the PSOE when, after José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán, the PSOE appointed Rebeca Torró as secretary of organization. In any case, we hope that Barroso's appointment will help to end the culture of machismo that has historically surrounded the police and which this case only confirms is still very much alive in certain circles.