Partner violence against women in Spain: Quantification and characterization of the problem, victims, aggressors, and the social and professional context

Abstract

After a literature review of recent studies on partner violence against women in Spain, this paper describes the central indicators of frequency, prevalence and course of domestic abuse. The main characteristics of battered women, their children, the male aggressors, and the social and professional context in which these actions take place are summarized. Partner violence against women in Spain appears to be a serious social problem affecting a significant number of people. It is also a very heterogeneous and widespread phenomenon particularly with respect to female victims’ characteristics. However, studies offer a more homogenous profile of the course of domestic violence against women. As a whole, available indicators of domestic violence against women in Spain led us to cast some doubt and refute many of the prejudices about this subject.