Rubiales controversy develops into a sort of a ‘Me Too’ moment for Spain

In a sign that the Rubiales controversy may be evolving into a situation similar to the ‘Me Too’ movement in Spain, more than 200 Spanish women have come forward anonymously to share instances of sexism and abuses of power in their workplaces. This nationwide discussion was ignited after Luis Rubiales, the head of Spain’s football federation, kissed Jenni Hermoso, a member of Spain’s women’s football team, on the lips without consent following their victory in the Women’s Football World Cup last month. Rubiales initially downplayed the incident, but it soon gained international attention with FIFA’s involvement.

Helena Legido-Quigley, a professor at Imperial College London working with members of Women in Global Health Spain, initiated the social media appeal that garnered these anonymous responses. In just five days, more than 200 stories were shared.

“I was completely shocked,” said Legido-Quigley. “What happened to Jenni has really created a moment for women to start sharing their stories.”

The shared experiences range from lewd comments to inappropriate touching and even sexual assaults. Disturbingly, many of the women disclosed that they were sharing only two or three incidents out of many they had experienced.

Most of these women never reported these incidents, citing reasons such as fear or not knowing how to address such situations.

“In several cases they said it destroyed their careers,” said Legido-Quigley. “Some said that they were sharing this for the first time. They hadn’t even told their partners.”

Although these unpleasant incidents often occurred in mere seconds, the psychological impact endured for a long time. Legido-Quigley pointed out that Spanish society tends to normalize these behaviors, including comments about women’s appearances, creating a climate where women feel uncomfortable but hesitate to speak out due to power imbalances.

“I think this is a #MeToo moment for Spain, but we are not ready to give names and shame institutions. That’s the key difference. Because people are really scared of losing their jobs,” she added.

The initial response to the Rubiales controversy was met with shock. Rubiales dismissed the incident as “a little peck.” Just months earlier, 15 players on Spain’s national women’s team refused to play under coach Jorge Vilda, citing its negative impact on their health and emotional well-being. In response, the Rubiales-led federation demanded that the players “admit their error and apologize.”