Three women have been murdered in the last 24 hours in Spain, two of them in the province of Málaga. The crimes in Antequera and Benahavís coincide with a spike in calls to 016 following the World Cup final.
This week has been tragic in terms of gender violence. Three women have been murdered in less than 24 hours in Spain, two of them in municipalities in the province of Málaga: Antequera and Benahavís. The third victim was recorded in Alameda de la Sagra (Toledo). With these cases, the number of women murdered by gender violence this year rises to 31, according to official data.
In Antequera, a 30-year-old woman was found dead last Monday with stab wounds in a home. The Guardia Civil is investigating the incident as a presumed gender-based crime. In Benahavís, another 45-year-old woman was found dead, also with stab wounds. The assailant in this case is still being sought by the Guardia Civil. In Alameda de la Sagra, a 45-year-old woman was murdered by her partner, a 48-year-old man, also with a knife in their home.
However, the Government has ruled out that the death of another 56-year-old woman in Almoradí (Alicante) corresponds to a gender-based crime, as the autopsy determined that the death was due to natural causes. Her husband, aged 61, was arrested due to a previous complaint from the victim in 2008, but was released.
At the same time, data from the 016 service, the free helpline for victims of gender violence, show a significant increase in calls coinciding with the World Cup final, which pitted Spain against Argentina. According to the Ministry of Equality, on the night of last Sunday, while most of the country celebrated the national team's victory, calls to 016 increased by 120.8% compared to the same time the previous week.
The increase was not limited to the phone line. The service's email (016-online@igualdad.gob.es) recorded a 1,000% rise in inquiries compared to the previous Monday, while the online chat grew by 60%. The WhatsApp channel (600 000 016) saw the least increase, with an 8.75% rise in interactions. During the day of the match, calls were lower than on previous Sundays, but the trend reversed immediately after the match ended and during the early hours of Monday.
This data has reopened the debate on the relationship between football and gender violence. International studies have already indicated that aggressors become more violent when their team plays an important match, especially if the result is adverse or if factors such as alcohol are involved. Earlier this year, UN Women and UNICEF launched the campaign 'Violence against women is not part of the game', after detecting that during events like the World Cup, calls to emergency lines surged by up to 30%.
In Spain, this is the first time official data evidencing this relationship has been published, compiled by journalist Isabel Valdés. The Minister of Equality, Elma Saiz, has emphasised that 'eradicating gender violence is a collective responsibility' and has assured that the Government 'will not rest until it is eradicated'.
Summer is a high-risk period for victims of gender violence, as increased cohabitation with the aggressor due to holidays, the disruption of routines, and the heat can heighten violent episodes. Since the counting of gender-based murders began in 2003, 1,372 women have been murdered. This year, 20 minors have also been left orphaned due to the murder of their mother, raising the total to 530 since 2013.
The events in Antequera and Benahavís have shocked the province of Málaga, where local authorities have expressed their outrage and have called for condemnation gatherings. The City Council of Antequera has declared three days of official mourning, while in Benahavís, a silent march has been organised for this Friday.
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