Spain's Ministry of Equality activated protection protocols after a failure in the anti-abuse bracelet system that lasted a few hours. Victims were notified, and none activated the panic button, which operated normally. The system was restored before 6 p.m.
On Tuesday, Spain's Ministry of Equality, in coordination with security forces, activated protection protocols for victims of the Cometa anti-abuse bracelet system due to a general failure detected twelve hours earlier. Sources close to Cometa company said the issue started around 4 a.m., blocking access to the system app and prompting alerts to the Police and Civil Guard to implement safeguards. The ministry did not confirm reports from workers who said they received only notice that the system was down, without further instructions.
Minister Ana Redondo and the Government's Delegate against Gender Violence, Carmen Martínez-Perza, stayed in touch with the Vodafone-Securitas UTE responsible for the service and even visited the Cometa Control Room. The problem stemmed from a router distributing alert messages, with about 10% causing recurrent issues leading to overload. "We will investigate to the end and, if necessary, take appropriate actions," Redondo stated.
In a post on X, the minister confirmed the system was restored before 6 p.m., with real-time data flowing. "I want to send a message of reassurance. No victim has been unprotected at any moment. The protocols worked. The Security Forces and Corps ensured victims' safety, informing them immediately," she said. The ministry emphasized that protection extends beyond telematic devices to an institutional network.
Currently, over 4,500 men wear these bracelets in Spain, in use since 2009, with 21,036 women having utilized them. There are no records of women being murdered while wearing the device. The system tracks aggressors' locations under restraining orders, alerting victims via smartphone. A month ago, previous failures were reported linked to the 2023 contract shift from Telefónica to Vodafone-Securitas, including GPS inaccuracies and position freezes.