Court of Auditors detects serious failures in electronic monitoring bracelets for abusers
The Court of Auditors warns of critical failures in the electronic monitoring bracelet system for aggressors, with geolocation errors and contracts worth €102.6 million.
Critical failures in the electronic monitoring system for aggressors
The Court of Auditors has detected "serious deficiencies" in the contracting and monitoring of the electronic monitoring system for restraining orders intended to protect victims of gender-based and sexual violence, according to elpais.com. The body published a report on Wednesday following an audit of contracts signed by the Ministry of Equality in 2018, 2021 and 2023, the latter valid until May 2026. The decision to oversee them was made after the Public Prosecutor's Office warned in its 2024 report of "multiple failures" in the electronic devices.
The three main contracts reached a total value of €102.6 million. Of this figure, €42.6 million corresponded to the 2023 contract, partly financed through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The report also analyses a minor contract related to the same purpose, valued at €12,706.21.
No transition plan or service continuity
The Court of Auditors notes that the 2018 and 2021 contracts did not include a transition plan to guarantee continuity of service without interruptions, which it describes as "essential", especially in the event of a change of contractor. The 2023 contract also did not provide for this initially, which forced a contractual amendment to be introduced and approved in July of that year.
The absence of such a plan, combined with the change of contractor, generated "deficiencies" that directly affected the provision of the service. Specifically, "problems" arose with access to historical information provided by the previous company, which prevented responses to 123 pending judicial requests. This situation continued until October 2024, when the Ministry of Equality launched measures to coordinate a solution, coinciding with a new request from the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Geolocation errors and deficient batteries
The report highlights that the "serious deficiencies" in the execution of the 2023 contract extended "throughout practically its entire duration". Although the Court recognises that these have been resolved, it states that they "compromised its effectiveness during part of the audited period".
The main failures affected the reliability of the devices and included service interruptions, geolocation errors that permitted aggressors to approach victims, batteries with low autonomy and delays in repairs. In November 2025, the Ministry of Equality commissioned an external technological audit that "corroborated the critical vulnerabilities detected in the devices".
Quality must take precedence over cost savings
Following these findings, the Court concludes that in this type of contract "quality in the provision of service must take precedence above all over cost savings". It adds that it is "essential" to guarantee in the contractual preparation phases the use "of the best available technology that minimises to the greatest possible extent the possibility of aggressors exercising any form of violence against victims".
The monitored system allows constant verification that judicial authority-imposed proximity prohibitions are complied with, whether as a precautionary measure, a sentence, a condition for the suspension of custodial sentences or within supervised release. Its main purposes are to ensure victim safety, deter aggressors from committing further assaults and record any breach of judicial measures.
38 women murdered so far this year
So far in 2026, 38 women have been murdered by their partners or ex-partners. Since the official statistics began in 2003, the figure stands at 1,379 victims.
The telephone line 016 serves victims of gender-based violence, their families and those around them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in 53 languages. The number is not recorded on the telephone bill. It is also possible to make contact via email at [email protected] or by WhatsApp on the number 600 000 016. Minors can call the ANAR Foundation on 900 20 20 10. In case of emergency, the number is 112, or the National Police (091) and the Civil Guard (062). Those unable to call can use the ALERTCOPS application, which sends an alert signal to the Police with geolocation.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)