A 24-year-old woman from Málaga has become the latest victim of domestic violence after she was stabbed to death on Tuesday morning, allegedly by her partner.
On July 20th, the woman went to hospital after being assaulted and, under health service protocols established for such cases, this was reported to the judicial authorities and the Andalucian Institute for Women (IAM).
Two days later she was visited by members of the Social Services and an IAM psychologist and was offered a place in a secure refuge. The woman refused the offer, saying that she would stay at her father’s house because ‘she felt safe’ there. She also refused to denounce her partner.
The young woman had also been seen by the IAM in October 2009 after suffering an assault, by the same partner, when she was pregnant with their child, who is now four years old. At this time she entered a secure shelter but left after a few days to stay with her parents.
The partner has been arrested as the alleged perpetrator.
There have been 31 domestic fatalities in Spain so far this year, with 7 of them being in Andalucia.