The murder of Victoria Hart in Alhaurin el Grande this weekend has once again put the spotlight on Spain’s ongoing domestic violence crisis.
The British mother is the third woman to be killed by her partner or ex in Andalucia in the first three weeks of 2026.
Four women have been killed nationwide in Spain so far this year, bringing the total death toll to 1,348 since records began in 2003.
It follows an alarming 2025, in which Andalucia was the region that recorded the highest number of women murdered by male partners.
According to official figures from the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, 46 women had been killed across Spain as of December 23.
Some 14 of those deaths – more than 30% of the national total – occurred in Andalucia, far ahead of any other autonomous community.
The figure marks a sharp rise from the previous year, when 10 women were murdered in the region.
While Andalucia is the most populous region, Catalonia is of a similar size and recorded five such murders.
Institutional denial feeds the problem
For Maria Jesus Correa, a Sevilla-based lawyer specialising in gender violence, the trend is no coincidence.
‘Institutional denial is the perfect breeding ground for failing to introduce stronger measures,’ she told OkDiario.
At the heart of the issue, Correa argued, is money and political will.
‘If those in power don’t believe the problem exists, they won’t invest in more trained professionals, properly paid, with the time needed to support each woman. Instead, everything gets swallowed by denial.’
Her comments came just days after new cuts in Sevilla to budgets for women’s services and equality plans, agreed as part of a deal between the People’s Party (PP) and Vox.
Correa gave a stark example in that domestic violence courts often operate with just one duty lawyer on call.
‘Victims are rushed through the system. The attention is quick and often superficial,’ she said.
‘This could be improved. All it takes is investment and applying the law properly, with urgency and a gender perspective. There would be fewer murders. I have no doubt.’
Courts, prevention and missed warning signs
Beyond population size, Correa believes the rise in killings reflects deeper structural failures. These include a lack of specialised courts, insufficiently trained legal professionals and weak prevention efforts in schools, health centres and workplaces.
‘There is a dangerously high tolerance for violence and a normalisation of women being killed by men,’ she said.
Nationally, Andalucia is followed by Catalonia, with five victims in 2025 despite a similar population of around eight million.
Madrid and the Valencian Community each recorded four deaths.
The national data revealed another troubling pattern: of the 46 women killed, only 10 had previously filed a complaint against their aggressor, and just seven had gone to court of their own accord.
‘Women need social, legal and psychological support, but above all they need speed,’ Correa stressed.
She added that many victims are put off by re-victimisation and a justice system where prosecutors often fail to act proactively.
Limited reach of protection systems
Concern about the situation has also been voiced by the government’s representative in Andalucia, Pedro Fernandez, who chaired an emergency review meeting in December last year.
One of the key problems, he noted, is the limited reach of VioGen, the Interior Ministry’s system for tracking and protecting victims.
Only 36% of Andalucia’s municipalities – 288 out of 785 – are signed up, leaving two thirds outside the network.
Long-term data suggests Andalucia is falling behind the rest of the country.
Over the past two decades, the number of gender-based killings has fallen nationwide, but far more slowly in Andalucía. While the rest of Spain saw a drop of 18.6%, Andalucía recorded a reduction of just 5.9%.
As a result, the region now accounts for almost a quarter of all such deaths, rising to around a third in recent years.
The impact on younger generations
Experts warn that a growing backlash against gender equality, fuelled by far-right rhetoric and online misinformation, is shaping attitudes among younger people. Surveys by the Centro Reina Sofia show that nearly one in five young men believe gender violence is not a serious problem.
Critics also point to policy decisions by the Andalusian regional government, led by Juanma Moreno, including the removal of gender-impact oversight from budgetary law and cuts to women’s services at both regional and municipal level.
The 14 women killed in Andalucia last year lived in towns and cities including Benalmadena, Martos, Cartaya, Marbella, Fuengirola, Almeria, Motril, Seville, Campillos, Rincon de la Victoria and El Viso del Alcor.
If you need help
The national domestic violence helpline 016 operates 24 hours a day in 53 languages.
It is confidential and does not appear on phone bills. Help is also available via WhatsApp on 600 000 016 or by email at [email protected]
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In an emergency, call 112, 091 (National Police) or 062 (Civil Guard).
