The voices of November 25th: "Is it violence when your partner persists until they get what they want? Yes, it is."

PalmIn Palma, more than fifteen crimes of gender violence are recorded every day. In 2024, 5,402 were recorded.This represents a 13% increase compared to the previous year, according to City Council data. Across the Balearic Islands, crimes of this type reached 8,752, a 3% increase compared to 2013. Among the victims, older women are increasingly represented: the 24-hour service of the Balearic Women's Institute (IB-Mujer) registered a 183% increase in in-person support, rising from 7 to 6 in a single year. These figures go beyond mere numbers: behind them are stories that cry out for justice, recognition, and visibility.

In this context, November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, becomes more than symbolic. It is a reminder that gender-based violence is structural and continues to affect women of all ages and backgrounds. Maria B., a 48-year-old shop assistant, illustrates this point: "My ex (we divorced nine years ago) didn't hit me, but he controlled me all the time. He checked my phone, criticized my every move… I thought it was my fault," she explains. For her, November 25th is a time of year when she feels more supported and when her voice is louder: "Without that day, many women would still be silent, unaware that what we experience has a name and that it's not normal," she points out.

Invisible victims

Among young people, the experiences are also revealing. Naiara is an 18-year-old student. She recounts how her ex-partner constantly controlled her and restricted her freedom. Only after taking a class at school about controlling behavior did she recognize that she had been the victim of a toxic relationship. "If I hadn't been educated about this, I wouldn't have known it was violence. I reacted suddenly and told him to get lost," she says. She's also used to men leering at her in the street. "At local festivals, I've had my butt grabbed dozens of times, and if I go to the beach and do..." topless“I feel very watched. But I don’t care,” she says.

Arnau, a 22-year-old sociology student, has a critical and aware view of violence: “November 25th isn’t symbolic; the violence is structural.” She points out that every year women suffer and that institutions “must react.” According to her, violence can take subtle forms, even invisible to those who are aware. “If your partner, no matter how affectionately they say it, insists until they get you to have sex… is that violence?” Is it violence? I’ve experienced it, but in a same-sex relationship. We’re opening another can of worms: the invisibility of intragender violence, which everyone ignores,” she laments.

The 2024 data paints a clear picture. The majority of victims are women aged 31 to 40 (38.6%), many with children (44.3%), 10% experiencing social exclusion and homelessness, and 7.4% with disabilities. The IB-Mujer (Islami Women's Institute) handled 4,737 calls (+1.7%), an average of 13 per day, and provided 728 follow-ups and 229 requests for legal guidance (+69%) through its legal advice service. All of this demonstrates that the institutional response is improving, but it is still insufficient to address the increase in cases. The cases of older women, who often suffer in silence, are becoming visible through in-person support: a 183% increase in women aged 61 to 70 indicates that violence is not just a youth problem, but affects all of society.

Among these voices, the most traumatic experiences explain the importance of November 25th as a platform. Laia, 33, hasn't suffered direct aggression, but her sister has. "She didn't report it; she was afraid and ashamed. He forced her into humiliating sexual acts, and she consented for five years," she explains. "November 25th as an isolated day, with the idea that 'the fight ends here,' doesn't help the victims. It's just posturing," she reflects.

On the other side of the generational spectrum, María Luísa, 84, only became interested in feminism later in life and celebrates the existence of spaces like November 25th to reclaim the role of women and the violence they suffer. "During the Franco regime, if your husband beat you, you didn't say anything; you were easily accused of being guilty and people would say, 'You must have done something to him.' My friends and I lived through it in silence, only telling each other about it, afraid that someone outside the group would find out. My husband, however, always called me 'she'; 'black,'" she recounts.

Not everyone has the same perception of November 25th. Javier M., a 55-year-old self-employed worker, rejects the commemoration: "Violence exists against everyone, not just women. I don't think a day just for them is necessary," he says. In contrast, Tomeu Ferrer, a 74-year-old retiree, admits his ignorance on the subject, but has a more progressive view of reality than a man (Javier) 34 years his junior: "I know there are two days each year to advocate for women, because I've heard my granddaughter mention it, but I didn't know the latter reason, which is also important. It's necessary," he says.

Division within feminism

The commemoration of November 25th once again highlights the division within the feminist movement, with two separate demonstrations: one by the Transfeminist Coordinating Committee of Mallorca and the other by the Feminist Movement of Mallorca—both departing from virtually the same point and at the same time. This fragmentation doesn't diminish the visibility of the problem, but it weakens the message of unity that society should project in the face of gender-based violence. "It's regrettable and gives ammunition to those who criticize us. Of course, there have to be differences, because the Transfeminist movement supports all women, while the Feminist Movement of Mallorca excludes trans women. On the day of the protest, we should all be together. Afterwards, they can straighten their hair if they want," demands Laia, who will attend the Transfeminist protest tomorrow.

In any case, November 25th remains necessary. Not only as a symbolic reminder of past struggles, but as a social barometer that reveals what is known, what is ignored, and what needs to change. The division into different demonstrations highlights the complexity of the debate, but makes it clear that, beyond the differences, the fight for women's freedom and safety is an objective that, though achieved in the first quarter of the 21st century, is still far from being reached.