Court probes sex change of man accused of gender violence for fraud

The Audiencia Provincial de Zaragoza has ordered an investigation into whether a man changed his legal sex to female in order to evade prosecution for gender violence. The suspect, who has multiple prior convictions for abuse against the same victim, told the Guardia Civil that he made the change to “blindarse contra este tipo de denuncias” Source: Infobae, La Vanguardia.

What happened

The victim, classified at extreme risk in the VioGén system, filed a new complaint for death threats on 15 May 2026. Initially, the Violence against Women court declared itself incompetent because the accused was legally a woman, transferring the case to a regular court Source: El Español. The victim appealed, and on 7 July the Provincial Court ruled the inhibition premature, citing possible fraud of law under Article 6.4 of the Civil Code Source: El País, ABC.

The reaction

The court noted that the accused spontaneously admitted to the Guardia Civil that the sex change was intended to "shield" him from gender violence proceedings Source: La Vanguardia. The tribunal ordered the Registry to determine if the registration should be annulled. Meanwhile, the case remains with the Violence against Women court to protect the victim Source: ABC, Infobae.

• The accused changed sex on 6 August 2025 Source: La Vanguardia.