Spain's worst shame

Spanish security and social experts have expressed great concern over the surge in incidents of domestic violence after 13 Spanish women lost their lives in the first quarter of 2005 in domestic violence incidents.

In 2004, 60.000 women lodged complaints against their husbands or partners.
Spanish authorities say the figure is much higher, given the number of women who suffered various forms of domestic mistreatment but never complained officially. Thousands reportedly stay in abusive relationships because, they say, there is nowhere else to go.

Further worse, 72 women were also killed, including 67 by their husbands or ex-husbands in 2004, according to the statistics released by the Spanish Observatory on violence against women.
They also revealed that 170 women were killed out of domestic violence during the last three years. Feminist groups, however, put the number of victims at 350.

Feminist groups blamed Spanish authorities for dealing with the complaints less seriously than they ought to. They regret the authorities hear from the mistreated women without writing down their complaints.

The government of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has pressed for a number of measures to deter domestic violence since coming to power in March last year.
The measures include allotting 200 policemen and 250 Civil Guard members to intervene immediately to save women facing threats by their husbands, ex-husbands or partners.
Abused women now get financial compensation, and could call a government-run hot line to deliver their complaints.
Zapatero recently described Spain's domestic violence record as the country’s "worst shame" and an "unacceptable evil".