Almost 40% of sexist murders committed this year took place during or shortly after a couple's break-up. Specifically, 20 of the 51 (39.2%). A percentage only surpassed in 2021, when 47% of murders were committed during the separation process. These data show that separation or divorce represent one of the most risky moments for women and, also, for their children.
This is the case of 64-year-old Caterina, who was shot dead by her partner in La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz) in January. The marriage was in the process of separation. Or de la María, murdered by her husband at her home in Móstoles and who has left an 11-year-old boy an orphan. Or of Lourdes, 50 years old, who was killed by who was her partner until a few days before. The man had stayed with her in an attempt to resume the relationship and, when she refused, he shot her in the head with a sawed-off shotgun. Or Ilham Najah, 28, or Raquel Lorente Pardo, 58, murdered by her partner when she went to collect her belongings after they separated...
To deal with these facts, the Ministry of Equality and the autonomous communities have agreed to promote training courses on gender perspective and detection of gender-based violence in legal office shifts in matters of family law (separations, divorces. ..) and the staff of the courts, especially family. "The majority of the victims try to get out of the violence through separation, and not through the complaint", they point out from the ministry headed by Irene Montero. It is necessary, they say, for judicial professionals to be alert to any risk of gender-based violence.
Equality and communities have also agreed that the Police will accompany the women who go to collect their personal belongings after the separation because it is "a particularly delicate moment", according to the Secretary of State for Equality, Ángela Rodríguez Martínez.
In the opinion of this department, proactive detection is failing, meaning that all public services, including the judicial, but also the educational, health, socio-health and emergency services, among others, report any case in which violence against women is detected.
"It cannot be understood that a woman murdered by her partner has been going to the mental services of a health center for years and her status as a victim has not been detected," says Rodríguez.
