15 Dominican women murdered in Spain in 2024 as foreigners exceed 50% of femicides

Madrid.- Since 2003, one in three women murdered by their partners or ex-partners in Spain has been of foreign origin, with this figure surpassing 50% in 2024. That year marked a record high for foreign victims, who constituted 51% of femicides, even as the total number of femicides (47) was the lowest in Spain’s recorded history.

A total of 442 foreign women have been murdered in Spain due to gender violence, representing 34.2% of all cases. According to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), victims came from 60 different nationalities, with the Dominican Republic accounting for 15 cases, alongside other countries such as Morocco (52), Romania (47), and Ecuador (38).

The annual femicide rate is significantly higher for foreign residents (8.32 per million) compared to Spanish women (1.68 per million). Lawyer Tatiana Retamozo from AIETI noted that migrant women are more likely to report violence, are overrepresented in femicides, and face challenges such as fewer protection orders. In 2023, 34.7% of gender violence complaints were filed by foreign women, underscoring their heightened vulnerability.

Associations and experts are urging the Spanish government to improve protections for foreign victims, as current measures remain insufficient to address the growing risks.