The Crisis Committee of the Ministry of Equality has analysed nine femicides from June and July, including that of María in Antequera, and calls for prioritising the protection of victims who request to withdraw their complaints, considering that they do not act freely.
The Ministry of Equality has urged that the protection of victims of gender-based violence prevails when they request to withdraw their complaint or protection order. This conclusion was reached at the Crisis Committee meeting held this Tuesday in Madrid, where the nine murders recorded in June and July were analysed. Among them was María, the woman murdered in Antequera (Málaga) on July 5, whose case has been taken as an example of the system's deficiencies.
In María's case, the Justice system allowed her to be removed from the Viogen system after three years of assaults and harassment, despite her having requested protection. The victim's niece publicly reported that her aunt had been threatened and that the aggressor had repeatedly violated the restraining order. This incident has been key for the Crisis Committee to propose "recalibrating" the weight that the judicial and police system gives to the victim's decision when they request to withdraw their complaint.
"The victim does not act freely in a context of gender violence," sources from the Ministry of Equality have stated. Therefore, they emphasised that the pursuit of the offender and the protection of the woman must take precedence, especially if minors are involved, as in those cases there is often emotional and economic dependence on the aggressor.
During the meeting, the nine femicides from the last two months were analysed. Of these, only one had a prior complaint. In seven of the cases, the victim and the aggressor lived together, and in four, the relationship was in the process of breaking up. As a result, eight minors have been left orphaned. Additionally, two aggressors committed suicide and three attempted to.
The Crisis Committee has also proposed to "reconsider" the appropriateness of agreements in gender violence procedures, as well as mutual agreements in family procedures when there is violence. Furthermore, it has been suggested to study support for orphaned minors to prevent the reproduction of profiles of aggressors or victims.
Another highlighted recommendation is to "not immediately archive" cases where the aggressor commits suicide, in order to facilitate the processing of aid and resources for victims and their families. The same sources have announced that a meeting will soon be held with the Junta de Andalucía to "analyse in depth" the cases that have occurred, especially in Málaga, where several femicides have been recorded in recent months.
The case in Antequera has once again highlighted the deficiencies of the Viogen protection system. María's niece reported that her aunt had suffered assaults and harassment for three years, and that the aggressor had been arrested several times but was always released. Finally, on July 5, the woman was stabbed to death by her partner, who then committed suicide.
The Ministry of Equality has insisted that it is necessary to "prioritise the pursuit of those who commit crimes" and not leave the decision in the hands of the victim, who may be under pressure. They have also pointed out that the presence of minors must be taken into account, as mothers often have "emotional and/or economic dependence on the aggressor," which makes it difficult for them to act freely.
The Crisis Committee has met again following the increase in femicides in recent months. So far this year, 31 women have been murdered due to gender violence in Spain, according to official data. Andalucía is one of the most affected communities, with several cases in the province of Málaga.
The proposals from the Crisis Committee will be submitted to the Ministry of Equality for possible incorporation into legislation or action protocols. The meeting with Andalucía, announced for "soon," aims to specifically address the cases that have occurred in the community, especially in Málaga, where María's murder has generated significant social outrage.
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