The British expat community has been left devastated following the murder of a young mother-of-three in Alhaurin el Grande.
Victoria Hart, 33, was allegedly stabbed to death by her ex at around 11.40am on Saturday morning.
The hairdresser, who ran a beauty salon in the expat haven, leaves behind her six-year-old twin daughters and 11-year-old son, mother and sister.
Tributes have flooded in for the ‘beautiful soul’, with friends telling the Spanish Eye how she ‘lived for her family.’
As anger and shock grows in the town, the local town hall has asked residents to gather to pay their respects to Victoria on Monday from 5pm.
Meanwhile, women’s rights groups have organised a protest in Malaga city from 7.30pm, also on Monday.
The demonstration is planned for Plaza de la Constitucion, and is being led by ‘Violencia Cero’.
Brits and locals have vowed to bring placards and arrive in large numbers to show their discontent with Spain’s domestic violence scourge.
In a call to action, one British expat posted online: ‘I think the English community is in a total state of shock!
‘As a previous sufferer of domestic violence, by a Spaniard, maybe we should all come together on Monday… to voice our discontent, of how women of all nationalities are NOT being protected enough, against the machist violence that occurs here, on a regular basis!’
‘This tragedy should not have been able to occur. I have suffered domestic violence by a Spaniard and something must change. It is a huge problem here in Spain.’
The local government said in a statement: ‘The Alhaurin el Grande Town Hall invites all residents to participate in a public gathering on Monday, January 26, at 5pm in the Town Hall Square, where a minute of silence will be observed in memory of the woman murdered in our town, a victim of gender-based violence.
‘We reiterate our strongest condemnation of this terrible act of violence, as well as our solidarity and support for the victim’s family and loved ones.
‘The Town Hall reaffirms its commitment to the fight against gender-based violence and calls for unity within society to eradicate all forms of violence against women.’
