WOMAN STABBED: Spain’s first gender violence death of 2019

A WOMAN aged 26 has been killed in what is the first gender-violence death of 2019.

Tomás SMR, her 29-year-old boyfriend, has been arrested accused of fatally stabbing Rebeca ACS in the Cantabrian town of Laredo, despite the best efforts of two of her friends who tried to stop the attack.

Official sources said that a ‘discussion’ between the accused and the victim – who had been together for a year and a half but were in the process of separating – quickly degenerated to ‘extreme violence’.

Two flatmates who had initially tried to stop the assault, “could do no more than take refuge to protect their own lives” in the incident at 4.30 this morning (Thursday, January 3).

After stabbing the woman, the alleged aggressor turned himself in to the Guardia Civil. He has since been handed over to the courts.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez, has expressed his solidarity with the family and friends of the victim. In a Twitter message he said: “My condolences and solidarity with the family and friends of the young woman murdered in Laredo by her partner. We will never abandon the commitment to eradicate #ViolenceMachist. Loud and clear, all united to end #GenderViolence. #Not One Less. We want you alive.”

In 2018, 47 women were murdered by their partners or ex-partners in Spain. A government statement confirmed that this killing is the first gender-based death of 2019, and the woman is the 976th victim since official statistics have been collected.