The IB-Dona attends 2,731 calls for sexist violence in six months
91.8% of the queries received by the 24-hour service during the first semester of 2026 have been related to gender violence, sexual violence or other forms of sexist violence
PalmaThe 24-hour service of the Balearic Women's Institute (IB-Dona) has handled 2,731 calls from women during the first half of 2026, 91.8% of which were related to situations of sexist violence. The majority of the consultations were from women who have suffered gender-based violence, followed by those who have suffered sexual violence or other forms of sexist violence.
The director of IB-Dona, Cati Salom, has described the data as "worrying," considering that "even if there were just one woman" who needed assistance, it would already be a cause for concern. At the same time, she has defended the work of the service because "it reaches more women every time."
February was the month with the most calls, with a total of 508. Regarding the majority profile of the users, they are women of Spanish nationality between 31 and 40 years old.
The service has also increased accompaniments. During the first six months of the year, 311 have been carried out, 12.2% more than in the previous period, according to the data provided by IB-Dona. Of these, 294 were related to cases of gender-based violence, five to sexual violence, and nine to other types of sexist violence. In total, 86 women have been accompanied, some of whom needed more than one accompaniment.
More cases during the summer months
Salom has warned that an increase in gender-based violence usually occurs during the summer months. Among the factors that may contribute to this, she pointed to the increase in time spent living together by couples and the isolation of women. Another influencing factor, in some cases, is that contact between separated couples who have children in common is more frequent during the summer.
IB-Dona attributes part of the increase in women reaching the service to the reinforcement of the dissemination that has been carried out, both in Spanish and in Catalan and other languages, in addition to the fact that it is a free telephone service available 24 hours a day.
In this regard, the organization recalled the dissemination project that already covers 85% of the municipalities of the Islands and which has agents who participate in municipal boards to make the service known. "The goal we set for ourselves is that no woman, or all women, have the service within their reach," noted Salom.
The service also attends to inquiries from family members. When it is a person from the victim's environment who calls, professionals offer advice, while when it is the affected woman herself who contacts the service, she is referred to the corresponding in-person care resources.
IB-Dona explains that the 24-hour service acts as a gateway to specialized and personalized resources. In addition to managing the calls, professionals follow up on the cases that reach the service. "Women do not just call once and we forget about them," remarked Salom.
