First year of collecting data on sexist murders apart from those committed by partners or ex-partners, and the conclusion is clear: the killers of women are never far from them. According to the data provided yesterday by the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, last year 34 women were murdered outside the scope of their partner or ex-partner, and all of them – all – at the hands of men who they knew
In fact, 13 women were killed by their children, three by their grandchildren, one by their father and four more by other relatives (nephew, brother-in-law, uncle and son-in-law), in the case of family violence, which amounts to 21 murders 76% of these crimes were committed by descendants. “This tells us about continued violence in women’s lives that affects us as daughters, partners, mothers and grandmothers”, concluded Victoria Rosell, Government delegate against Gender Violence.
Nine more women were killed in what is called social violence (perpetrated by a man with no emotional or family relationship with the victim). In five cases, the aggressor was a neighbor, in two they were roommates, and in two more, acquaintances. The home, the space that should be safe, is once again a place of violence, indicated the representative of the Government against Gender Violence.
Four more women (two of them 14-year-old girls) were killed last year after being sexually assaulted and, also, in these cases, the aggressors were known to the victims. In the most serious cases, the violence is carried out by someone close to the victim.
Despite the fact that comparisons cannot be made between the murders of women in the sphere of the partner and the rest of the femicides, given that these began to be registered in 2022, the reality is that last year they were killed by violence of gender altogether 83 women, and all of them, at the hands of a well-known person.
In 91% of the cases of femicides there were no previous complaints, much in contrast to what happens with gender violence in the partner or ex-partner (more than 40%, of the 49 women murdered in 2022). “It is clear that there is a level of tolerance within the family that does not exist in gender violence. After many years of work and awareness, victims recognize themselves as victims and seek help. The same is not true of other forms of violence against women,” said Rosell.
Despite these data that put the most serious violence against women in the spotlight, Rosell wanted to make it clear that there is no increase in murders against women or more violence. “There is the one that has always existed, but which is now emerging due to a more important social awareness and the commitment of this feminist Government to put an end to these hidden pockets of male violence”.
In fact, he explained, in gender violence the numbers of murders have been decreasing for years (about 20 women murdered less than 15 years ago). “What does increase are the denunciations, as awareness, resources and support have increased” and they hope that this will be transferred to the rest of sexist violence in a while. “Data helps to understand, work and raise awareness. And even if it seems that there is more male violence to extract data, it is not true. The violence is there.”
And remember that, according to a survey on sexual violence carried out in 2019, 92% of sexual assaults are not reported, and not reporting means that neither action is taken against the aggressor nor the victim is helped, and above all ‘it hides a problem that society has, they explain from the Ministry of Equality.
Since this month, 016 not only deals with cases of gender-based violence, but also with the rest of male violence, and at the end of the year 24-hour crisis centers will be launched to deal with women who have been sexually assaulted.
