Caracuel de Calatrava approves a protocol against sexual harassment

The Plenary of the City Council of Caracuel de Calatrava approved, in an ordinary session on September 21, 2026, the Action Protocol against sexual harassment, harassment based on sex, and harassment based on sexual orientation, a text that classifies these behaviors as very serious misconduct for all municipal staff. The agreement is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Ciudad Real no. 185, dated September 25, 2026, via announcement no. 3057, signed by the mayor-president Ismael Laguna Fernández on September 23.

The protocol, consisting of 29 pages, applies to all personnel of the City Council of Caracuel de Calatrava and mandates that contracted external companies, collaborators, and societies be informed of its existence. It is valid for two years from its approval, and the text warns that any behavior of this nature may be considered very serious misconduct, regardless of the provisions of criminal legislation, leading to sanctions under the protocol itself and Royal Legislative Decree 5/2015, of October 30, which approves the Revised Text of the Law of the Basic Statute of Public Employees.

Regulatory framework and definitions

The document is based on a regulatory block that expressly lists:

• Spanish Constitution of 1978.
• Organic Law 3/2007, of March 22, for the Effective Equality of Women and Men.
• Organic Law 10/1995, of November 23, of the Penal Code.
• Law 31/1995, of November 8, on Occupational Risk Prevention.
• Royal Legislative Decree 5/2000, of August 4, on Infractions and Sanctions in the Social Order.
• Royal Decree 901/2020, of October 13, on equality plans.
• Law 12/2010, of November 18, on Equality between Women and Men of Castilla-La Mancha.
• The collective agreement for public employees of the City Council of Caracuel de Calatrava.

The text distinguishes between three figures: sexual harassment—including the modalities of sexual blackmail and environmental harassment—, harassment based on sex, linked to gender stereotypes, and harassment based on sexual orientation, referring to the person’s orientation, identity, or gender expression.

Three bodies to process complaints

The application of the protocol falls upon three instances:

• Equality Commission: a joint body composed of the mayor-president, administrative civil servants from the City Council, and the Corporate Secretariat; it receives periodic information and handles monitoring.
• Confidential Advisory Service: three people —a member of the Women’s Center of the Entreparques Association of Municipalities, an administrative official from the City Council, and the Corporate Secretary— responsible for receiving complaints and conducting the initial analysis.
• Advisory Committee: a collegiate body for the formal procedure, consisting of one person from the Confidential Advisory Service, a lawyer, and a psychologist from the Women’s Center of the Entreparques Association of Municipalities.

From the complaint to the disciplinary file

The procedure begins with an internal complaint or report, verbal or written —if verbal, it must be ratified in writing— and anonymous complaints are not admitted. It may be filed by the allegedly harassed person or their legal representative, union representation with prior authorization, and any public employee with justification, provided the victim ratifies it.

After the initial analysis, the Confidential Advisory Service may reject the complaint, open an informal procedure, or proceed to a formal one. If there are indications of misconduct, the Advisory Committee is urgently constituted, which notifies the accused person of the complaint, conducts the investigation, and issues an assessment report. The parties may present arguments within a maximum period of five working days. If harassment is confirmed, the Committee urges the Mayor’s Office to initiate an information file and to adopt corrective and punitive measures.

Evaluation and appeals

The protocol will be evaluated after the processing of the first three complaints or one year after its implementation, and whenever regulations or technical knowledge change. The Confidential Advisory Service will maintain the registry of complaints and submit an annual report to the Equality Commission.

Against the agreement, which ends the administrative route, an optional appeal for reversal may be filed before the body that issued it within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal before the Court of First Instance of Ciudad Real within two months.

The approval provides a small municipality with a regulated procedure, featuring specific bodies and confidentiality guarantees, to prevent and punish behaviors that until now only fell under the general framework of the Basic Statute of Public Employees. The text also incorporates a complaint form and a catalog of behaviors that may constitute harassment, making it easier for municipal staff to identify and report these situations.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Ciudad Real, no. 185, September 25, 2026, section I (Local Administration, City Councils), announcement no. 3057 (official reference: CVE 8GKip5zEGvjpY+K8WVxg).