A tragic year for gender equality
The year 2024 is shaping up to be the most unfortunate in terms of gender crimes in the last decade. According to the Department of Equality, Catalonia has been the scene of 20 femicides in the first eight months, a worrying increase that reflects a deep social crisis. Among the victims, 15 are women and 5 are people related to gender-based violence, all murdered by men with whom they had some kind of relationship.
The impact of recent crimes
The recent double murder in Rubí and Castellbisbal, perpetrated by a former National Police commissioner, has raised the number of femicides to 20. This event marks a dark milestone, as 2024 becomes the year with the most sexist crimes since 2014. Vicarious violence, which involves the murder of children to inflict pain on women, also shows alarming figures, with 10 minors murdered since January.
Worrying trends in gender-based violence
Compared to 2023, Catalonia has seen an increase of six sexist murders so far this year. The most critical months have been January and April, with 10 deaths, with April marking the record for victims in the last decade. In most cases, the aggressor was the victim’s partner, which highlights the complexity of the emotional relationships involved in these crimes.
Complaints and insufficient protection
An alarming finding is that most of the victims had not filed complaints. Of the 15 women murdered in 2024, only 2 had previously reported gender-based violence. Of these, only one had protective measures, raising questions about the effectiveness of the justice and protection system for women at risk.
Vicarious violence as a growing phenomenon
The data on vicarious violence is also discouraging, with 10 minors murdered so far this year. Of these, in four cases there were previous complaints of gender violence against the aggressors. The latest incident occurred in Toledo, where a 17-year-old girl was murdered, and her mother was seriously injured. This type of violence seeks to control women, especially in contexts of separation.
A tragic legacy of violence
Since 2013, gender-based violence has claimed the lives of 63 children and adolescents at the hands of their fathers or their mothers’ partners. More than 57% of the perpetrators committed suicide after committing these crimes, thereby evading justice. In these cases, the majority of the victims were descendants of the perpetrators, which underlines the need for a more robust approach to prevention and protection in situations of domestic violence.
Final thoughts on a systemic problem
The alarming increase in femicides and vicarious violence in 2024 should be a call to action for society. It is imperative that effective measures are implemented to protect women and children, as well as strategies to encourage reporting and support for victims. Only through a comprehensive approach can this crisis be effectively addressed and future tragedies prevented.
