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Sin calling a woman “puta” in Spain can feel like one of the harshest attacks on her dignity. It’s a word that: Directly attacks her sexual reputation, which historically has been one of the cruelest ways to control and judge women. Tries to reduce her only to her body, as if her worth depended on that. Seeks to publicly humiliate her, make her feel dirty, singled out, or despicable. Carries a very strong cultural weight of contempt and verbal aggression. Can affect her self-esteem, her social image, and even her sense of safety. In the most exaggerated version: it’s like trying to erase everything that woman is — her intelligence, her personality, her achievements — and reduce her to a sexual insult in order to bring her down. It’s not a neutral word. It’s loaded with history, judgment, and hostility. That’s why it can hurt so much.