Fact Check: "The Catholic-run centres in Spain, operated under the Women’s Protection Board, held more than 40,000 young women and girls at their peak until they were closed in 1985."
What We Know
The Board for the Protection of Women (Spanish: Patronato de Protección a la Mujer) was established in 1941 during the Francoist regime in Spain. This institution was notorious for its brutal treatment of women and girls, often confining them in reformatories under the guise of moral rehabilitation. At its peak, the Board operated over 900 centers across Spain, where it is estimated that more than 41,000 girls and young women were held simultaneously, representing about 1.7% of all females aged 15–24 in Spain at that time (Wikipedia). The centers were often run by Catholic religious orders and targeted women deemed "fallen" or "at risk" of moral decay, frequently without any legal justification (Wikipedia).
The Board was not fully dismantled until 1985, a decade after Franco's death, when legal reforms prohibited the forced internment of minors without judicial oversight (Wikipedia). This timeline aligns with the claim that the centers were operational until 1985.
Analysis
The claim that the Catholic-run centers in Spain held more than 40,000 young women and girls until their closure in 1985 is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The Wikipedia entry on the Women's Protection Board provides detailed historical context and statistics, confirming that at its peak, the centers housed over 41,000 individuals (Wikipedia). This figure is corroborated by reports from Reuters, which also state that thousands of women were interned for perceived moral failings during Franco's regime (Reuters).
The sources used in this fact-check are reliable, with Wikipedia providing a comprehensive overview backed by historical documents and academic research. The Reuters articles are based on recent events and testimonies from survivors, ensuring the information is current and relevant (Reuters, Reuters).
However, it is important to note that while the sources are credible, they may carry some inherent biases due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter. The historical context of the Women's Protection Board is fraught with trauma and injustice, which could influence the narratives presented by survivors and activists.
Conclusion
Verdict: True. The claim that Catholic-run centers in Spain, operated under the Women’s Protection Board, held more than 40,000 young women and girls at their peak until they were closed in 1985 is accurate. This conclusion is supported by multiple credible sources that detail the operations of the Board and the scale of its impact on young women during the Francoist regime.
