Police Records of Intimate Partner Violence against Women in Spain: An Eight-year Analysis of Demographic Patterns and Temporal Trends

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic patterns and temporal trends of police records of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) in Spain over an eight-year period. Method: Data were police records of cases of IPVAW in Spain (excluding Catalonia and the Basque Country), recorded between 2016 and 2023 (N = 651,992). Descriptive analysis and analysis of rate differences were conducted for different demographic groups: age, nationality, and urban-rural area. Time series decomposition analyses were conducted to assess change over time, and seasonality for all police records as well as for the demographic groups. Results: Rates of police-recorded IPVAW were significantly higher among younger age groups, among foreign nationals, and in urban areas. Time series analyses showed a significant increase in police-recorded IPVAW over the eight-year period, both in general and for the different demographic groups. A clear seasonal pattern emerged both in general and for the different demographic groups (except for the older age group), with an increase in police-recorded IPVAW in the months of July and August. Conclusions: The increase in police records of IPVAW suggests that the gap between officially recorded and actual prevalence of this type of violence is narrowing in Spain. The high rates of police-recorded IPVAW among younger women and immigrant women support research suggesting that these demographic groups are at greater risk of this type of violence. Seasonal patterns are discussed in terms of changes in behavior during the summer months that seem to increase the risk of IPVAW.