In Madrid, crowds shouted ‘no more victims, we want freedom’ following string of high-profile rape trials

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have marched through the streets of Madrid and dozens of other Spanish towns and cities to oppose violence against women.

Protesters chanted slogans and carried signs reading “For those who aren’t with us” and “Justice” as they marked the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In Madrid, tens of thousands joined a feminist group calling for a massive protest and shouted “No more victims, we want freedom!” as they marched through the centre of the capital.

The Madrid demonstration ended with a reading of the names of the 44 women killed by their partners or former partners over the past 12 months.

Since 2003, when Spain started keeping records, 999 people have died as a result of violence against women: 972 women and 27 children.

According to the general council of the judiciary, Spanish courts received more than 166,000 gender violence complaints in 2017 – up 16% on the previous year.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Elimination of Violence against Women protest, Madrid, on Sunday Photograph: Jesus Hellin/ZUMA Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

The issue of sexual violence in Spain – and the judicial response – made headlines around the world earlier this year after five men accused of the gang rape of a teenager during the 2016 running of the bulls festival in Pamplona were found guilty of a lesser offence of sexual abuse.

The so called “wolfpack” case prompted a national outcry, as did the subsequent trial, which was widely criticised as a cross-examination of the 18-year-old woman rather than the men who attacked her.

April’s verdict sparked furious protests across Spain and led the then government to promise a review of the country’s sexual offences legislation. Spain is training more than 600 judges on gender violence

Other recent verdicts have caused similar anger.

Earlier this week, a court in the Catalan city of Lleida sentenced a man and his nephew to four and a half years in prison after finding them guilty of sexual abuse but clearing them of rape charges on the grounds that they had not used violence or intimidation during the attack.

The court described the victim’s testimony as “totally credible”, but ruled that she not been raped as, despite crying and begging them to stop, she had not fought back or shouted, supposedly suggesting an absence of intimidation.

In March, more than 5 million workers took part in Spain’s first nationwide “feminist strike”, according to trade unions.

The action, held to mark International Women’s Day, was intended to highlight sexual discrimination, domestic violence and the wage gap.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report