Four years ago, a neighbor, a 37-year-old man, drew attention to alarming events in the life of a mother and her children. The two-year-old girl displayed a rash in her genital area and engaging in sexual behavior, while the four-year-old boy exhibited sexual gestures when alone with his sister. When questioned by his mother, the girl asked about what happened with her father. The mother, who had endured years of psychological abuse marked by humiliation, was shocked and immediately reported the concerns to the prosecutor and the police. Because expert assessments were inconclusive, no restraining order was issued at that time.
The mother managed to arrange for all visits to take place inside a school building, through the Majorca Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS). Yet the children were visibly distressed during these encounters with their father. She recalls,
“It is painful to see them cry and resist when they are taken to see him. It feels like sending them to danger.” After a long, painful process spanning four years, the case reached the trial stage in Palma, though the mother remains deeply dissatisfied with the level of protection offered to the children, saying,
“If the perpetrator is a parent, the protection systems are not effective enough.”
gender violence
The mother met her ex-husband at work when she was 27. They soon shared a home, began a family, and married in 2015. A few months later, their first child was born, followed by a daughter in 2018. She later realized the abuse was psychological rather than physical. The dynamics were subtle and pervasive. He made derogatory remarks, controlled her social life, and demanded that she seek permission before doing anything without his input. He isolated her from friends and discouraged contact with family, even insisting she hide the child from her mother in some circumstances. Eventually, she sought help from a psychologist who helped her recognize that this was gender-based violence, beyond simple verbal clashes.
When she decided to leave, she proposed a care arrangement for the children, but the father refused to sign any agreement. He showed no real interest in the children and, after the separation, the mother began to notice troubling changes in them. The boy grew withdrawn and later became aggressive toward his mother, while the girl, still in diapers, appeared to have symptoms of distress. She sought medical evaluation for a diaper rash, but noted that the symptoms did not occur when the children were in her care, raising concerns about what occurred during visits with their father.
Complaint
Suspicion intensified when the boy started making overt sexual comments toward his sister during baths when both were in his father’s care. He described acts in a way that indicated familiarity with inappropriate behavior, claiming it was part of a game they played at his father’s house. By February 2020, when the boy was four and a half and his sister two, the mother reported these revelations to the police and the court and arranged supervised visits at a city meeting point through IMAS to keep the children away from their father during times of contact.
Each visit became a struggle. The children did not want to go, and the mother felt the pressure from her ex. On one occasion she stood up to him in front of the girl, warning her not to touch her sister. He retorted that she was hurting him, even though nothing had occurred. The mother later discovered that he had recorded the confrontation and reported her for abuse. She maintains she did not understand the full extent of the risk until much later, but the signs were clear enough to warrant action.
Trial in Court
The hearing is scheduled to take place at the Palma District Court. The psychologists’ reports on the children yielded inconclusive results, even for the oldest child who had endured the most exposure. The father attempted to end the case by presenting a defense to delay proceedings, but the mother’s attorney persisted and secured a formal hearing.
Throughout the long process, the mother has faced a continuing battle. She has received psychological support and has documentation attesting to her experiences of gender violence. Yet after four years, the case remains unresolved, and she fears for the safety and well-being of the children who were exposed to alarming behaviors. She notes that the protective systems she relied on did not function as she had hoped, leaving the children vulnerable to ongoing risk.
The district court will evaluate the evidence and determine appropriate actions to safeguard the children and determine accountability for the father. The mother continues to navigate the system while seeking stability for her children and honesty about the effects of the abuse on their development. The ongoing legal process underscores the critical need for robust safeguards and timely responses in cases of familial gender-based violence. [Citations: Palma District Court, EP.]
psychological help
016 offers immediate psychosocial care and guidance for victims of gender violence and anyone affected by such circumstances. The service operates around the clock, every day of the year, supports more than 50 languages, and is confidential and free of charge, with accessibility for people with hearing and speech impairments. [Source attribution: national hotline information.]
Through these resources, the mother continues to pursue help while documenting the events and seeking resolution. She describes an ongoing effort to handle the situation with resilience, aided by professional support and the legal process, even as she waits for a court decision that can ensure the children’s safety. The need for robust protective measures and continued professional support remains evident as the case moves forward.
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