Thousands march for women's rights in Barcelona: 'End gender violence'

Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona and other cities in Catalonia on Saturday to protest against gender-based violence on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.      

Around 6,000 people attended the main 25-N demonstration in Barcelona, according to local police Guardia Urbana, while organizers say there were 40,000 in attendance.

The slogan of the rally was: "We want an end to this, we want to be together, diverse, alive, free and rebellious."

The demonstrators demanded public policies to protect victims of gender-based violence, as well as the inclusion of a gender perspective in the legal system and the introduction of sex education in the school curriculum.

14 women killed so far this year

The protest comes at a time when the number of cases of gender-based violence in Catalonia has increased at an alarming rate.

Fourteen women were murdered in Catalonia in the first ten months of 2023, four more than in the same period last year, according to a recent report by the Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra. 

In the first ten months of the year, the Mossos d'Esquadra recorded a total of 14,137 complaints related to gender-based domestic violence - an increase of 9.6% compared to the same period in 2022. 

Police arrested 6,056 men during this period, an increase of 13.2% compared to the previous year. 

So far this year, 13,278 women have reported being victims of gender-based violence by their partner or ex-partner.

The number of complaints from women between the ages of 46 and 50 has increased by 19.7%. However, the age group bearing the brunt of this growing crisis is between 21 and 50 years old, accounting for 70% of victims. 

'Society must be brave' 

The Catalan government, along with the Provincial Council and the City Council of Barcelona, held the institutional act of 25-N on Saturday and called to fight against gender-based violence. 

"We must break the silence. We are all observers, and we can intervene," said the joint manifesto of the three institutions, read by journalist Danae Boronat in Sant Jaume square. 

Catalan Equality and Feminism Minister Tània Verge recalled the names of the 14 women victims of gender-based violence in 2023 and called on men to "take a step forward."   

"Society must be brave, but especially men, to break with gender-based violence. They point out the intolerable attitudes of friends, family members and colleagues," she said. 

Gender-based violence complaints higher in low-income areas

Municipalities in Catalonia with lower incomes have a rate of complaints of gender-based violence almost twice as high as those with a higher median income.     

The rate of complaints filed in the 25% of municipalities with the lowest income is 391 per 100,000 inhabitants. A higher rate compared to wealthier areas, with 222 complaints per 100,000 inhabitants.  

The data was analyzed by the Catalan News Agency (ACN), based on data from the Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra between January 2022 and October 2023.

Helena Mulero, spokesperson for the College of Criminology of Catalonia, argues that there are not fewer cases in wealthier areas. Rather, the cases are more "psychological" and tend to be less reported.