Spain must break pact of silence over sexist behaviour, equality minister says

MADRID : Spanish society must break a "pact of silence" and stop normalizing sexist behaviour as well as better support women brave enough to speak out when it happens, acting Equality Minister Irene Montero said on Wednesday.

Montero said in an interview with Reuters she hoped the furore created by Spanish Football Association (RFEF) chief Luis Rubiales' kiss on the mouth of World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso - which she says was non-consensual - will serve as a point of inflection in the fight against sexism in Spain.

Rubiales is facing a chorus of voices calling for his resignation and has been temporarily suspended by FIFA for his behaviour when players were being handed their medals after defeating England in the World Cup final on Aug. 20 in Sydney.

"Spain is a feminist society in which sexism still exists, but it is determined to end sexism," Montero said. "We are sending the correct message to the world, that sexism is over."

Montero said sport in Spain is structurally sexist and she expressed disappointment that Spain's male football players have largely stayed silent about the incident while the entire women's football team has said it will not play while Rubiales refuses to resign.

"I think it has become evident that feminism is also a task for men," she said, while acknowledging that support for Hermoso showed that the majority of Spanish men condone sexist behaviour.

"Perhaps it would have been desirable for this pact of silence to be broken with more force and forcefulness. But I think it has begun to crack and that is a very important step," she said.

Rubiales has accused his critics of "false feminism".

Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into whether Rubiales might have committed an act of sexual