Gender-based violence kills 138 women in a decade, and only 25% had reported the aggressor.

BarcelonaSeven women and one minor have been murdered this year in cases of gender-based violence in Catalonia. Looking at the same data over the last decade, since 2014 there have been 147 femicides: 138 women and 9 minors. This Tuesday, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) released this report, which takes into account both cases of gender-based violence—that perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner, which is the most common—and gender-based violence within the family. The data confirms that 2014 was a dark year, with 19 fatalities. According to Sergeant Andrea Garcia, head of the Mossos' Central Unit for Attention and Monitoring of Victims, this year has seen a "significant decrease in cases," with only eight registered. "But we cannot be satisfied," she warned.

The latest femicide The crime was committed on October 18th, when a badly injured woman was found in the street; she died a month later in the hospital. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) arrested the couple as the suspected perpetrators. In the context of gender-based violence, 79% of the women murdered since 2014 were in a romantic relationship at the time of the crime. 77% lived with their killer, and 81% of the murders occurred in the home. The average age of the women is 43, and a large majority (69%) had children. In many cases (up to 93%), the children were minors. However, only 25% of the women had previously reported their killer, and only 7% had active protection orders. According to Garcia, this year has seen a recurring pattern of perpetrators with numerous prior arrests. In other words, in many cases, it was foreseeable that the relationship could escalate into violence. "This is where we need to anticipate," she stated. The sergeant warned that this situation is often repeated: that of an environment aware of the violence, but this information never reaches the police. In this regard, she encouraged reporting. Currently, in Catalonia, there are 132 electronic monitoring devices, in the form of bracelets, for perpetrators of gender-based violence, and García defended their effectiveness. It is a court-ordered measure, and in 2025, judges granted 21.15% more electronic monitoring orders than the previous year. In parallel, the Catalan police provide protection to 153 women, 10 of whom are at very high risk.

One of the most worrying elements is the increase in breaches of restraining orders—for example, the violation of restraining orders—which is now the fourth most reported crime by victims of gender-based violence. "These are revictimized women," warned García. In one year, these breaches rose by 13.1%, from 2,173 reports in 2014 to the current 2,458. There is also concern about the rise in economic violence, with an 11% increase in crimes related to non-payment of alimony.

Sexual and digital violence

Another crime on the rise is the disclosure of secrets, closely linked to the publication of intimate images after a breakup, which has increased by 21%. The victims are mostly young, between 26 and 35 years old. Sexual assaults without violence or intimidation have also increased by 15.5%. According to García, these occur within a relationship, where the woman, although she does not consent, does not physically resist. In total, sexual violence represents 4.9% of the types and forms of violence reported. Sexual assaults against minors under 16, in any of their forms, represent 5% of the reports within the context of a current or former partner (35 out of 704). Furthermore, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) have arrested or investigated 12,359 men, 98.9% of whom are adults. The remainder are minors, between 14 and 17 years old.

The lawyers' balance

The Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB) also released a summary of its activities on Tuesday in light of International Women's Day (25-N). Specifically, the legal aid service assisted 10,899 victims of gender-based violence between January and October, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year. This specialized service averages 1,089 cases per month, and the daily average has risen from 33 to 36. The majority of cases handled in recent months involved victims and perpetrators who were or had been partners (8,445). In total, the legal aid service in the Barcelona area carried out 116,089 actions, with gender-based violence being the second most common type of case, second only to criminal cases (75,022).