At least 55 women have lost their lives at the hands of their partners or former partners in 2019, with two days left until the end of the year. Thus, this year there has been a new upturn and the death toll is the highest since 2015, according to official data.

The number of murders due to gender-based violence has been increasing since 2017, when 50 murdered women were counted, and also grew in 2018, the year that closed with 51. In 2016, with 49 murdered women, the number of victims decreased compared to 2015, the year which recorded a peak with 60 victims.

Thus, in 2019 it closes with a rebound in murders of gender violence for the third consecutive year, as reflected in the statistics prepared by the Government Delegation for Gender Violence. From January 1, 2003 to the present, there are 1,033 women fatalities of this type of violence.

Speaking to Europa Press, the president of the Federation of Progressive Women, Yolanda Besteiro, has attributed this rebound to Vox's "denialist discourse" against this type of violence against women installed in some institutions. "It has reinforced the ideology of the abusers and increased vulnerability of victims by distrusting the system and breaking for the first time the institutional consensus around the condemnation of gender violence," he said.

For her part, the president of the National Federation of Associations of Separated and Divorced Women, Ana María Pérez del Campo, also argues that the increase in "gender terrorism" is due to the emergence of Vox in the institutions. "They have entered democracy to end it," he said, and then criticize the parties that allow themselves to be "influenced" by the extreme right. "Those who come to power to fascism are fascists," he added.

According to the count prepared by this organization, gender violence has claimed the lives of 59 women, five children, and that of five other people who have been collateral victims. Another unofficial accounting is that of 'feminicidio.net', which has accounted for at least 99 feminicides and murders of women in 2019.

The disparity in the figures led the Government Delegation for Gender Violence to work on a compilation of the murders of women outside the scope of the couple or former partner - since the official statistics only include those killed by people with whom they maintained a sentimental relationship. So far, this parallel accounting has not been made public that would include victims such as Diana Quer, Laura Luelmo or Marta Calvo, allegedly murdered by men they did not previously know.

The last victim incorporated into the official count of gender violence prepared by the Government has been a 38-year-old woman who was allegedly murdered by her partner on November 30. He had not reported his situation of abuse, like most of those killed: of the 55 victims so far in 2019, only eleven (20%) went to the State Security Forces and Bodies.

In five of the cases in which there was a complaint, protective measures were adopted in favor of the victim; and in four of them these measures were in force at the time of the crime. According to the recount made by Europa Press, one in ten women killed by their partners or former partners from 2006 to the present had some protection in their favor at the time of the murder.

In 2019, the majority of fatalities (40%) were between 41 and 50, age group that also predominates among the aggressors (47.3%). The majority of the women killed were Spanish (60%), and also the majority (65.5%) lived with their alleged aggressor.

Regarding the 55 alleged aggressors, the majority (61.8%) were Spanish; and, after committing the crime, 14 committed suicide and three tried unsuccessfully. Within the framework of official statistics, there are also three other cases under investigation related to crimes against women in 2019.

By autonomous communities, five territories concentrate the majority of the murders of women at the hands of their partners or ex-partners that have been committed so far in 2019, according to data from the Government Delegation for Gender Violence.

Specifically, it is Andalusia (13 cases), Catalonia (9), Canary Islands (8), Valencian Community (7) and Community of Madrid (7). The rest were produced in Castilla y León (3), Galicia (3), Cantabria (2), Aragón (1), the Region of Murcia (1) and the Balearic Islands (1).

In addition, so far this year gender violence has left a total of 46 orphans; and a total of 279 since 2013, at which time these minors are counted as victims of this type of violence.

According to data collected by Europa Press, about half of the women killed by their partner or ex-partner so far in 2019 had a minor son or daughter. "Maternity is a circumstance that makes the victim of abuse more vulnerable," said the president of the Observatory against Domestic and Gender Violence of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Ángeles Carmona, in statements to Europa Press.

As Carmona stated, the number of mothers among the fatalities due to this type of violence is related to the high percentage of cases without prior complaint. "The victims not only fear for themselves, they fear for their children, they fear that the aggressor will use the children to harm them," he said.

In addition, three minors have been killed in cases of gender-based violence against their mothers during 2019; and there are 34 since 2013. Sources from the Ministry of Equality have assured Europa Press that one of the three priority measures for the next legislature will be to reform the Civil Code to achieve greater protection for children at risk in the case of That the parent is an abuser.

Precisely the new police forms to assess the risk in cases of gender violence allow since this year to assess the danger suffered by minor children who are in charge of victims of abuse.

Last March of this year, the new police assessment protocol of the Comprehensive Monitoring System in cases of Gender Violence (VioGén System), which has been underway since 2007. entered into force, in addition to assessing minors, The new forms also allow to identify those cases that could evolve to more serious violence and even homicide and murder.

These cases, called "especially relevant", are referred to the judicial authority, to which the evaluation of additional character will be recommended.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Vox
  • Galicia
  • Laura Luelmo
  • Diana Quer
  • Canary Islands
  • Andalusia
  • Aragon
  • Balearics
  • Cantabria
  • Castile and Leon
  • Catalonia
  • Valencian Community
  • Madrid's community
  • General Council of the Judiciary

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