More help at hand as number of gender violence victims continues to rise in Malaga

The services, which are managed by Andaluza de Gestión de Servicios Especializados (Agise), include emergency centres, shelters and apartments for victims of gender violence, and urgent help is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

In Malaga there are 90 beds, 12 apartments and 40 rooms for victims of gender violence, and in the third quarter of this year the organisation provided accommodation for 125 women, four fewer than the same period in 2018. In Malaga province 186 people sought refuge in the emergency centre.

Slight regional increase

The budget for the service for victims of gender violence in Andalucía has been increased to 7.5 million euros for 2020, because in addition to the 6.2 million euros assigned by the regional government, it will receive at least 1.3 million from the funds of the State Pact against Gender Violence to increase psychological and social assistance for the women and their children, and reinforce security at the centres and shelters.

In Andalucía as a whole the Integral Service for Attention and Shelter for Female Victims of Gender Violence has attended to 1,999 adults and children so far this year, compared with 1,929 during the same period last year. This is 70 more people and an increase of 3.62 per cent.

The latest government figures for Spain show that 1,027 women have died as a result of gender violence since 1 January 2003, and so far this year 51 have lost their lives at the hands of their partner or ex-partner.

This year, the UN Women organisation is planning 16 days of activism to eradicate violence against women, running from 25 November to Human Rights Day on 10 December.