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New data shows that reports of gender-based violence in Spain are rising again, with regions such as the Canary Islands, Murcia and parts of Andalucía among the most affected.

 

Between March and June this year, Spanish courts specialising in violence against women recorded 51,897 complaints and provided support to 47,710 victims. These figures represent respective increases of 2.69% and 3.41% compared with the same period in 2024, according to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).

 

The Observatory against Domestic and Gender Violence, which compiled the figures, also found that almost 12% of women victims chose not to testify against their abusers. Courts approved around seven out of every ten requests for protection, 8,571 of the 12,661 processed, and 83% of the 16,306 rulings were convictions.

 

Across the Canary Islands, the upward trend is particularly sharp. In just three months, courts there registered 4,001 complaints, up 44.6% on the previous year, and identified 3,817 victims - an increase of 46.6%. The islands now have the highest rate in the country, at 33.7 victims per 10,000 women, far above the national average of 19.2. Tenerife saw the largest number of cases, followed by Gran Canaria.

 

Elsewhere, regional patterns show mixed results. In the Valencian Community, 6,982 complaints were recorded between April and June, a slight 3.6% decrease from 2024. However, the overall number of victims, 6,497, keeps the region in third place nationally, with a rate of 24 per 10,000 women. Most cases occurred in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia.

 

In the Region of Murcia, courts filed 1,985 complaints in the same period, an average of more than twenty each day. The number of women officially recognised as victims rose 5% to reach 1,845. With 23.6 cases per 10,000 women, Murcia now has one of the highest victim rates in Spain, just behind the Canary and Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community.

 

Meanwhile, in Andalucía, officials are calling for stronger protections against abuse that happens online. During a conference in Seville, the Spanish Government’s delegate in Andalucía, Pedro Fernández, appealed for “an institutional and technological response to the rise in sexist digital attacks.” He emphasised that “equality cannot be left behind in the digital age” and called on technology companies, schools and the media to help make the internet a safer space for women.

 

According to Spain’s Ministry of Equality, more than 73% of women have experienced some form of digital violence. The Government says tackling this issue is now a priority within the State Strategy to Combat Gender-Based Violence 2022–2025, which promises new educational programmes, faster removal of harmful content and greater accountability from online platforms.

 

As both traditional and online abuse continue to rise, the message from across Spain is clear: lasting change will require not only legal action but also education, awareness and collective responsibility.

 

 

Image: Chatgpt