Fuengirola Local Police attended almost 100 cases of gender-based abuse in 2021

As part of Fuengirola’s ongoing commitment to fight crimes against women, the Local Police attended almost 100 cases of suspected gender abuse during 2021. Most of the situations came as a result of calls from concerned neighbours who alerted the authorities of possible risk situations, which resulted in the arrest and prosecution of 17 people.

Last year, the Local Police force formed a new unit for victims of gender-based abuse, which helps and protects women threatened by alleged crimes related to sexist violence. The initiative works in line with the VioGén System, a comprehensive monitoring system organised by the Ministry of Interior that was put into operation in July 2007.

The objectives of the system bring together different public institutions to battle gender violence by offering support and protection to victims. The initiative also uses an automated notifications subsystem for when a possible crime is detected that could endanger the integrity of the victim, while establishing a network that allows for the rapid, comprehensive and effective monitoring and protection of abused women.

Since October 2021, the system has offered ongoing support to nine residents in the town. Of these, five continue to live in Fuengirola, while the rest have changed addresses for security reasons.

The town hall pointed out that communication between the police and victims of violence by their partners is “fluid and continuous”.