In 2014, the Freedom Train was the starting point of a ripple effect that has been transforming Spanish society.
In 2014, a massive protest known as «The Freedom Train» emerged in Spain against the government’s proposed abortion rights cutbacks, marking the beginning of a decade of social awakening to feminism. Over the past ten years, the feminist movement has rapidly spread and evolved, becoming a topic of conversation in homes and bars. The movement faced turbulence and threats, but never retreated. Sociologist Rosa Cobo describes this as the «fourth wave» of feminism, centered around denouncing sexual violence. This decade of transformation began in a now-closed florist shop in Gijón, from where «The Freedom Train» was born. The movement culminated in a massive protest in Madrid in February 2014, where tens of thousands of people from across Spain and France gathered to prevent the Justice Minister from passing an abortion law reform. The reform was ultimately rejected, and the Justice Minister resigned seven months later. The past decade has seen a global feminist movement, from India to Poland, Latin America and the United States. In 2016, the gang rape case known as «La Manada» led to a social outcry, marking a turning point in Spain’s feminist movement. Furthermore, the widespread sharing of sexual harassment and assault experiences on social media, sparked by actress Alyssa Milano’s tweet, further propelled the feminist movement. This social tsunami prompted the government and judiciary to review sexual offenses, leading to changes in jurisprudence and statistics. However, the fight continues with challenges such as the lack of sexual and emotional education among adolescents and the rise of conservative and traditional ideas.
