The year 2023 ended with at least 55 women murdered due to gender violence, exceeding the figure for 2022 by 6, when there were 49 fatalities. In addition, as of December 4, there are two cases under investigation in 2023, which was also marked by a ‘black’ summer since, of the at least 55 deceased, 16 of them were murdered in the months of July and August, to which we must also add two minors. The figures are considered provisional and may increase depending on the outcome of ongoing investigations.
The number of murdered women now reaches 1,237 since 2003, when this data began to be collected. Likewise, sexist violence has left at least 56 orphaned minors this year.
The summer of 2023 has been one of the most tragic in sexist violence in the last 20 years, with 16 murdered, eight cases in July and eight in August, so it was once again confirmed that the seasonal factor increases the risk, as the former Government delegate against Gender Violence, Miguel Lorente, explained in an interview.
On the other hand, according to the balance sheet of the Ministry of Equality, in 41 of the 55 cases there was no prior complaint, neither requested by the victim nor by others, which represents 74.5%. This is an issue that worries both the department and the Observatory against Domestic and Gender Violence, of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).
The president of the Observatory, Ángeles Carmona, stressed a few days ago that the complaint is “very important” so that, on the one hand, “there is no impunity” and, on the other, to launch the mechanism of protection “in its entirety”. “We do not want there to be abusers who think that they will not receive all the action of justice,” she highlighted.
For all these reasons, the Association of Women Jurists has assured in statements that this year has been “disappointing”, “sad” and “chilling” due to the numbers of murdered women.
“Multiple reasons such as fear, risk of being re-victimised (not believed, questioned, not respected, etc.), the slowness of processing, and all the resistance mean that as civil society and those close to the victims we have the responsibility of a greater involvement, denouncing and showing greater rejection and reproach,” she stated.
For this reason, the group has called the State Pact against Gender Violence a “priority”, which “defines the priorities for action within the limits provided for by it and its objectives, thus recognising that the needs are taken into account and guaranteeing the use of non-discretionary funds”.
Likewise, they have indicated that they expect “an improvement in care for victims in rural areas and intervention actions with victims who withdraw their complaint.” Furthermore, they highlighted the “disparity” and “unequal manner” of the courts when it comes to protecting victims.
“We demand greater feminist social policies because we are facing a significant deficit that requires institutional action under the principle of due diligence,” she stated.
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