The Response of the Feminist Movement to Sexual Violence in the Public Space. The Multiple Sexual Agression in the Festival of San Fermín in 2016 as Turning Point

Abstract

Based on a reference case, that of 'La Manada', whose sentence provoked huge demonstrations in Spain by women who showed their disagreement with the case ruling, we argue that such mobilizations marked a turning point in the response to sexual violence. Thus, through a specific and paradigmatic case, we will show how the incidence of the feminist movement, through various actions, has managed to place the debate on sexual violence in the public scene and influence the public administrations to initiate some changes in public policy in relation to sexist violence in general, and sexual violence in particular. We argue that the case acted as a precipitating factor for the social opening of new “frames of reference” on the links between sexual violence and patriarchal culture, which has allowed the discourse of the feminist movement to penetrate the movement and social agenda and also the political agenda.