The Judge Francisco Serrano,
the Family Court in Seville

In October 2011, Serrano was
disqualified as a judge for two years
by the High Court of Justice of
Andalusia for perversion of justice
by breaking the child custody
arrangements set by another judge.
The previous year, he had allowed a father to have one more day with his son, so that the boy could take part in a Semana Santa procession.
The court ordered Serrano to pay €4,000 to the boy's mother, but found that Serrano did not act with intention. The following July, the Supreme Court of Spain found that he had acted with intention and increased his disqualification to 10 years, fining him €2,160
In October 2016, the Constitutional Court of Spain annulled the previous rulings; Serrano maintained that he had been a political victim for his views on gender.

(Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
​​ (Portada / Mundo Judicial)

I just need to air this somewhere. My husband was accused, by a stranger, of beating me in the street in Barcelona on New Year’s Day. He was arrested and locked up until 3rd January. I had no idea where he was or when he would be allowed to come home to me.
He was released after I gave a statement that he had NEVER raised a hand to me. To this day I still do not know why this stranger called the police and he was arrested. He came home to me and we tried to continue our lives as best we could.
On 6th February, yes, 5 weeks after he supposedly hit me, we went to court. The “witness” didn’t turn up. We went back home.
We went back to court again on the 24th February. I said he didn’t hit me, he said he didn’t hit me, and one more witness said he didn’t hit me. We hired the best lawyer we could find. One woman said he hit me. We went home.
​​One week later, he was found guilty. We continued to try and live our lives. On the 7th March (9 weeks after the “incident”), we find out his sentence. A 6 month restraining order, AGAINST MY WISHES as his wife.
When does the sentence start? We don’t know. We then get a phone call on the 27th April, to say the sentence starts in 4 days, on the 2nd May. Yes, that’s 18 weeks after he “beat” me. If he were a genuinely dangerous man, I might not be typing this story. I’d be dead. How the FUCK is this law working? My poor INNOCENT husband is now serving a 6 month restraining order AND a 2 year suspended sentence, and he’s likely not the only one. I am being punished and supposedly kept away from my loving, caring, gentle, supportive husband, all this, while truly guilty men are being given 18 extra weeks at home to beat their wives to death.
The system is fucked. How do we change this?? It’s only going to get worse.

RV Production - Comments
An Overlooked Crisis for Men and Children

Every single day, men in Spain are targeted by false accusations of domestic violence. This is a reality that not only destroys the lives of innocent men, but also leaves children with deep trauma, anxiety, and PTSD.

Why is this important in 2026?

Although the documentary was released in 2010, the issue has unfortunately not become any less relevant. The legislation, judicial practices, and structural problems in Spain remain fully alive and well today.

www.MensVoicesIreland.com - 2023

Men and Women in Europe are Equally Likely to be Victims of Domestic Violence, Research Shows

               Write to us

Marie Bjerre - Minister for Equality - Denmark

​From MVI - www.MensVoicesIreland.com - 2023
​Denmark Rings the Changes on Intimate Partner Violence in a Historic Decision

“I am pleased that we are now paving the way to ensure that men exposed to violence have the same rights as women exposed to violence"

The Destructive Effects of Spain’s Domestic Violence Law
www.MensVoicesIreland.com - 2023

Marriage Crisis in Spain Linked to ‘VioGen’ Domestic Violence Law

PROJUSTICIA Madrid 2022

"We have seen how these laws are applied in the courts, without allowing the man to defend himself, or even be present during the trial in which he is the accused, because he has not been summoned or because he is being held in prison".   LINK here

Paco’s Fight Against the System

In the video documentary, we meet Paco. His story is a shocking example of how the Spanish legal system can be weaponized, and how the consequences follow a child long into adulthood.
The System Opposes the Father

In 2002, Paco went to Family Court No. 66 in Madrid to petition for sole custody of his 3-year-old daughter. At the time, he shared joint custody, and his daughter spent every day with him.

Paco had observed that the daughter lacked basic supervision in the mother’s home and was suffering both physical and psychological abuse. In an effort to protect his child, he submitted a custody application-backed by documentation from the daughter’s school, a school psychologist, and reports from a private detective.

The Retaliation: False Accusations as a Weapon

The exact moment Paco filed his case with the Family Court, the mother retaliated by reporting him to the Criminal Court for incest against their daughter. There was absolutely no evidence or documentation to support the horrific allegation; the mother’s word alone was enough to set the system in motion. Simultaneously, the mother filed 14 other false accusations against Paco at various police stations across Madrid.

After a 6-month nightmare, the Criminal Court delivered its verdict: Paco was fully acquitted, and the court ruled definitively that the minor daughter had never been subjected to any abuse.

Failure of the System and Professional Backlash

Despite the acquittal, the female judge at Family Court No. 66 in Madrid chose to award full custody to the mother. Paco was sidelined with supervised visitation at a so-called Punto de Encuentro (a municipal visitation center) twice a week from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Here, he was forced to see his daughter from a distance of two meters, under the constant surveillance of a municipal employee. Paco's extended family was denied entry entirely.

Paco subsequently presented the case to independent psychologists and psychiatrists. Their verdict on the system was scathing:

• They concluded unanimously that the female judge at Family Court No. 66 should be immediately transferred to another department where she could no longer inflict harm on children.

• They stated firmly that the female psychologist at the court's associated psychosocial unit (No. 66) should be fired on the spot.

A Costly Victory and Lifelong Consequences

Paco did not give up the fight. After a total of 8 grueling lawsuits - and with the help of a skilled lawyer and a professional counselor - he was finally awarded full custody of his daughter in 2010. This took place in the exact same Family Court No. 66, but this time under a different judge and without the presence of the original psychologist.

Following the ruling, Paco and his daughter immediately left Spain.

Today, in 2026, Paco’s daughter has turned 27. But the story does not end here. As a direct result of the mother’s severe manipulation and the system’s failure during her early childhood, she continues to battle deep trauma and psychological distress today, undergoing treatment for, among other things, PTSD.

The Remaining Question Is: Who carries the responsibility for these broken lives? Can Paco send the psychological and human bill to Family Court No. 66 in Madrid?

watch paco's case here