Barcelona police create specialized service for victims of gender-based violence
Local force says reports of these crimes have gone up by more than 24% since 2019
Barcelona's Guàrdia Urbana local police have created a new specialized service to make it easier for victims of gender-based violence to file reports.
There will be two such centers in the Catalan capital, one in the Nou Barris district, which will open this week, and another in the police station on La Rambla boulevard, which will open in June.
These have been designed with victims' needs in mind, with special "friendly" areas for children and offices made in such a manner as to reduce a person's stress levels when filing a report.
The workers will also have had over a hundred hours in specialized gender-based violence training to be able to work more efficiently with the victims.
Reports up 24%
Reports of gender-based violence in Barcelona have increased by over 24% between 2019 and 2022.
Across Catalonia, they went up 13.4% between 2021 and 2022, the highest figure in a decade, with the highest rates in Barcelona's Old Town.
"Up until now the extent of gender-based violence was hidden, but this is being reverted because there are more and more police reports that make it less invisible," Barcelona councilor for security Albert Batlle said.
Similarly, according to feminism and equality minister Tània Verge, increased awareness of what constitutes gender-based violence has also helped contribute to an increase in police reports.