This pioneering judicial body in Catalonia has taken on a significant number of crimes related to the protection of minors. Among the most notable cases is the investigation of the infant who remains hospitalized in Barcelona due to alleged abuse and sexual assault by their parents.
Other frequent criminal typologies include child pornography and the discovery of secrets, often linked to capturing images of minors in private spaces, as recently occurred in an Eixample Primary Care Center (CAP). Alimony payment defaults in separated couples with children account for approximately 20% of the cases accumulated since the beginning of the year.
The creation of this judicial specialization, which did not exist before the reform of the Efficiency Law, has only been implemented in three cities in Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, and Málaga. In the Catalan capital, magistrate Guillermo Benlloch is responsible for all cases involving minor victims. Judicial sources express doubts about whether a single judge will be sufficient to handle the workload.
“"If we manage to process payment defaults through fast-track trials, judicial procedures are significantly shortened. It benefits the accused because they can opt for a one-third reduction in sentence if they confess, and it benefits the woman because times are shortened."
To streamline processes, the court is promoting fast-track trials for alimony payment defaults, which the Supreme Court considers economic violence. This procedure allows the entire investigation to be completed in a single day. If the offender confesses and reaches an agreement, they can receive a one-third reduction in their sentence. This measure has been positively evaluated in Barcelona, as many offenders choose to confess to benefit from the sentence reduction or resume payments before the court hearing.
