Over 600 people treated at Clinic Hospital for sexual violence in 2024

Barcelona's Clínic Hospital treated 624 people for sexual violence between January and October 31, 2024. Last year, doctors treated 587 people during the same period.

The majority of them, 88% of patients, are women, according to data announced by the Clinic Hospital on Thursday ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25. This is the hospital to go to in all cases of sexual assault for those aged 16 years or over.

Four out of ten women are under 25 years old. This group shows the highest rate of wishing to file a complaint against their perpetrators. There were 34 people between 16 and 17 years old treated, while the oldest person was 88 years old.

The report also finds that 10.5% of the 624 patients treated suffered a group sexual assault.

"We publish these figures so gender-based violence victims are aware that they are not alone as there are other survivors of gender-based violence who understand them," Dr. Lluïsa Garcia, head of the gender-based violence and health committee at the Clínic Hospital, said during a press conference.

Doctors report more and more cases of gender-based violence, and it is a "real drama in our society," Jopsep Maria Campistol, general director at the hospital, told reporters.

"Every year, there are more sexual assault cases and more complaints filed. We always use the half-excuse of saying that more people denounce, which probably is true, and luckily, it is this way, but these are very important figures," he added.

During the first ten months of 2024, Clínic Hospital treated 76 men. Men perpetrated 99% of the assaults, and 57% of the treated women were raped, and 29% do not remember it.

The majority of men, 60.5%, suffered sexual penetration, and 25% do not remember it.

Hospital experts warned of pornography's influence on the way these attacks are committed.