Domestic Violence in Spain

LATEST statistics show that one in every four women in Spain will be a victim of domestic violence over the coming year, yet only an extremely low percentage of those violated will report the offence.

Reasons given are not only because victims are humiliated and frightened of reprisals from their partners, but also the potential ordeal they face when dealing with the forces of law and order.

Until recently, domestic violence has become known as the, ‘hidden crime’ with case files locked in at local level until a convenient window appears to allow an ongoing investigation.

But according to Javea’s Councillor for police and citizens protection John Ortola, that is all about to change. After a recent meeting between government officials, Civil Guard officers, local police and the Department of Equality and Social Services, Councillor Ortola told the EWN that after discussions between the Town Hall and Ministry of Interior an integrated fully protected gender violence computer data base, will shortly become available to local police departments.

Designed to monitor and protect victims on a National scale, the programme we understand, will include risk assessments, records and histories of known offenders.

This would allow case reports of abuse to be confidentially recorded and shared by local community police within a short time frame of the offence and automatically updated through ongoing investigations.

The system will also include records of non Spanish offenders provided they had been suspected, followed or arrested in Spain, but at present, there are no plans to extend the scheme to an international level.

Councillor Ortola, who works closely with Counsellors Teresa Bisquert (Social Services) and Amparo Bolufer (Department of Equality), said they welcomed the new technology as an immediate aid to the eventual eradication of gender violence.

At present, 71 protection orders are currently in force within the Javea area.

By Benny Davis