This paper seeks to shed light on the reasons why gender violence is still a perpetual phenomenon in Spain, despite its advancement in gender equality. In particular, the paper investigates how feminist theories can explain gender violence in Spain and what are the representations of gender violence at state level, at individual level, and at cultural level. In order to achieve this, Walby’s patriarchy theory was employed, but focusing only on three structures out of six, which were considered to be most relevant when analyzing gender violence: the patriarchal state, male violence and the patriarchal culture. In order to perform the research, different types of methods and analytical tools have been used. The research focuses on a single case, the case of Spain, and uses a mixed method approach, as qualitative and quantitative data are relevant when analyzing gender violence. The paper starts with the provision of a theoretical context which paves the way to understand the reasons and the root causes that allow the Spanish society to be permissive towards male domination. The purpose of the paper is to provide theoretical perspectives that can explain the conditions behind women’s social and cultural inferiority, that foster their vulnerability to gender violence. A closer look will be taken at how past and present political options together with cultural traditions, help this situation to be maintained nowadays.
The paper seeks to offer new/different perspectives on the issue of gender violence in Spain, and in order to achieve this, will look at the matter from a transformative standpoint, shifting the attention to men and masculinities.