Spanish, aged between 30 and 44, and with primary education: the majority profile of victims of gender-based violence in Palma.

PalmPalma City Council's Comprehensive Care Service for Victims of Gender-Based Violence (SAIVM) has assisted 1,420 people during 2024 through its three programs, aimed at women, women and children, and male aggressors. This figure represents a 3% increase compared to the previous year. However, the number of cases of care has risen significantly among women (+15%). 1,097 were assisted, while 192 children and 121 men were treated. According to Lourdes Roca, Councilor for Social Services, Education, Citizen Participation, Youth, and Equality, 90% of the women achieved the project's objectives, 79% of the children improved their emotional well-being, and 84% of the men assisted acknowledged having caused harm and were working to improve.

Palma City Council's Equality Officer, Toni Colom, emphasized that violence is not limited to specific social characteristics. "Any woman can be affected," he said. "There is no defined pattern. However, there are majority characteristics. 54% of female victims are between 30 and 44 years old, 56% are Spanish. 46% have primary education, and 16% have higher education. 26% have no income, and of those who do, 30% have salaries that do not reach 700 euros per month. Two out of every 10 women live with their abuser. "These are women who come, who start from scratch, and ask us if what you are doing to them is violence," Colom explained. 76% of the victims have a protection order, 23% more than in 2023. Regarding complaints, two out of every three female victims have been filed. A party that has filed more than one.

Within the Women's Program, 1,218 cases have been processed, 53% of which have been new. Colom explained that what is done is not a one-time action. "We can work for more than a year because we help raise awareness about the situation they are in and help them see what they need to do to get out of it. Regarding the most common types of aggression, 94% are psychological; it affects the victim's future life plans," Colom said.

A reality that affects 33% of women is that they live in single-parent households. "These are women who want to escape a situation of violence, but at the same time have significant family responsibilities, which makes it difficult for them to cope with their needs," Colom said.

The Nins Program has served 192 children, fewer than last year. However, new cases have increased by 23%. 82% of the children witnessed violence toward their mothers, and 20% were direct victims. Of these, 98% have suffered psychological abuse and 43% physical abuse. According to Colom, exposure to violence generates behavioral problems in 43% of cases and psychosocial problems (1%). "What we want is for children not to adopt mechanisms that reproduce violence," Colom said.

Regarding the male program (121 users), 85% have experienced psychological abuse; 48% physical abuse; 25% sexual abuse; and 14% financial abuse. The goal of this program, Colom explained, is for "men to take responsibility for their actions and be aware that their role is defined by patriarchy, which they must be aware of and free themselves from." The Equality Officer explained that men participating in the program cannot use it for personal gain. "We ask the victim if they want to be informed about the aggressor's progress, so that the aggressor doesn't use it as a pretext for supposed improvement and thus get closer to the woman," Colom explained.