Unreported gender‑based violence (GBV) is a significant issue in Spain, as in many countries. The official statistics capture only cases that are formally reported to authorities, but research indicates that a large portion of violence goes unreported. Here’s what we know:
🔹 Prevalence of unreported violence
- Macroencuesta de Violencia contra la Mujer 2024 (Spanish government survey) found:
- ~70% of women who experienced partner or ex‑partner violence had never reported it to authorities.
- Main reasons for not reporting included fear of the abuser, shame, belief that authorities would not help, economic dependency, or protecting children.
- Many women experience psychological or economic abuse, which is even less likely to be reported than physical violence.
🔹 Estimated scale
- Considering that 12.7% of women aged 16+ have suffered physical or sexual partner violence, but official reports are much lower, it is estimated that the actual number of victims could be 2–3 times higher than official figures.
- Digital harassment and stalking are also widely underreported. Only a small fraction of digital abuse cases are brought to the police.
🔹 Reasons for underreporting
- Fear of retaliation – abuser may threaten harm or manipulate children.
- Lack of trust in justice system – some women believe reporting will not lead to meaningful protection.
- Economic or housing dependency – fear of losing financial support or home.
- Social stigma – shame or cultural pressure discourages disclosure.
- Minimization – victims may perceive certain behaviors as “not serious enough” to report.
🔹 Consequences of underreporting
- Makes it harder to allocate resources for support and protection.
- Underestimates the real prevalence of gender violence in society.
- Can lead to chronic abuse, as intervention is delayed or never happens.
