Un total de 492 mujeres reciben atención en el Centro para Víctimas de Violencia Sexual de la Región de Murcia.

24/06/2025

492 mujeres reciben atención en el Centro para Víctimas de Violencia Sexual de la Región

A total of 492 women have received attention at the Center for Victims of Sexual Violence in the Region of Murcia (CAIVAX) ‘La Jacaranda’ during the first months of the year, which is 41 more than in the same period of the previous year. However, the number of women who have come to the center for the first time between January and May is lower, specifically 11 new cases less than in 2024, which means that 108 women have been attended for the first time.

The Minister of Social Policy, Families and Equality, Conchita Ruiz, provided these data after meeting with the professionals of CAIVAX and clarified that «the highest number of women attended this year corresponds to women previously registered who require continuous professional follow-up, either from the psychological, legal, or social sphere.»

Ruiz explained that «a very common behavior in victims is to feel embarrassed or afraid to go out on the street because they have suffered sexual assault, so, in most cases, the first interventions are by phone.» Through the professionals of CAIVAX, they receive counseling and guidance to go to emergency medical services and the police. «Only when they feel emotionally stronger is when they decide to come to the center,» emphasized the minister.

Also, in the almost two years of operation of the Center, the proportion of women who identify as victims of sexual violence years after suffering the assault stands out. In this sense, 53 percent of women report having suffered sexual violence as minors and 47 percent as adults.

«Some of them were unaware, at first, of having been victims of sexual violence because they had normalized certain behaviors with their partners, family members, or coworkers. Finally, when they become aware and overcome their fear, they demand psychological support to break free from past traumas,» Ruiz highlighted.

The Center for Comprehensive Care for Victims of Sexual Violence in the Region of Murcia ‘La Jacaranda’ has a team of 4 psychologists, a social educator, a social integrator, two legal advisors, and a social worker who provide specialized support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Together, they have carried out a total of 1,708 individual interventions during 2025. The most demanded service is psychological care with 961 interventions, followed by legal advice with 381. In the fields of social work and social education, the number of interventions reaches 295 and 71, respectively.

Data balance

Currently, the majority of users who come to the resource are between 18 and 40 years old, and to a lesser extent, women aged between 51 and 60 years.

Regarding the relationship of the victim with the aggressor, it is usually mainly family-related, followed by work-related, and equally, by unknown or close environment individuals. On the other hand, the type of violence that the victims have faced is mainly sexual assault, but also harassment or sextortion.

A protocol to improve victim care

The Region of Murcia has an Interinstitutional Coordination Protocol on Sexual Violence, the first of its kind developed jointly between the regional government and the professionals involved in victim care (health, social, judicial, labor, police, and educational), in order to ensure comprehensive assistance to women and adolescents who have suffered sexual violence, from a multidisciplinary perspective to facilitate their physical and emotional recovery.

The protocol details precisely the guidelines that professionals must follow and includes mechanisms for addressing different forms of sexual violence against women, such as sexual harassment, trafficking for sexual exploitation, or violence in the digital sphere. It also includes guidance and counseling for people in the environment and family members who require support and assistance.