Alex Trelinski
THE NUMBER OF female victims suffering domestic violence in Spain has shown a big rise in the first quarter of the year, reaching 40,481 -17.85% more than during the same period in 2022.
43.5% of victims were non-Spanish with complaints recording an increase of 19.33% over the same period, according to data from the Observatory against Domestic and Gender Violence.
The figures are the highest in recent years and could be interpreted as victims being more willing to come forward in the midst of public information campaigns.
The Observatory of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), during the months of January, February and March, said that courts issued 7,684 protection orders (17% more than in 2022) and 75.69% of the sentences issued (in total 14,599) were condemnatory.
Angeles Carmona from the Domestic and Gender Violence Observatory said the rise in complaints shows that victims increasingly trust institutions, judges, the State Security Forces and ‘the protection network that we all try to weave around them that, in the vast majority of cases, it saves lives.’
The number of women who have suffered abuse per 10,000 amounted to 16.7 (2.5 more than a year ago) and above the national average were the Balearic Islands (22.8), Murcia (22.6), The Valencian Community (22.2), Andalucia (20.2), Canary Islands (19.5) and Madrid (18.3).
The lowest three areas are La Rioja (12.5), Galicia (11.6) and Castilla y Leon (10.6).
READ MORE:
- Spain has just one police officer for every 60 women at risk of domestic violence
- Murcia has highest percentage of reported domestic violence cases of any region in Spain
