Page 197 - Invited Paper Session (IPS) - Volume 1

IPS131 Rivera-Galicia, L. F. et al.

Gender-based and intimate partner violence
against women in Spain
Rivera-Galicia, L.F. 1,3,4 , Gallo-Rivera, M.T. 2,3,4 , Mañas-Alcón, E. 2,3,4 , Montes-
Pineda, O. 2,3,4
1 Department of Economics. University of Alcalá. Spain.
2 Department of Economics and Business. University of Alcalá. Spain.
3 Institute for Economic and Social Analysis (IAES). University of Alcalá. Spain
4 Chair of Corporate Social Responsibility. University of Alcalá. Spain.

Abstract
Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most severe forms of Violence
Against Women, especially when it is caused by an intimate partner. In 2013,
the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that more than one in three
women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence throughout
life. Awareness of this problem by governments and international organizations
has increased in recent years.
This paper aims to analyse the prevalence of IPV against women in Spain
during 2016. Based on data from the 2015 Spanish Macro survey of gender-
based violence, which included 10,171 women aged 16 and over, we analyse
five types of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): sexual, physical, psychological
(controlling behaviours and emotional abuse) and economic violence. First, we
describe the Spanish population as a framework to understand GBV in Spain.
Second, we analyse the sample and we characterize those women who have
suffered IPV. Third, we characterize the aggressors, based on the information
provided by the victims. Finally, we provide the profiles of the women who
have suffered from IPV as well as their aggressors. The key findings of this
paper are striking: 13.2% of Spanish women aged 16 or more have suffered
from GBV; only 2.7% have suffered sexual and/or physical violence, but 9.2%
have felt fear or have been controlled. The perception about their own health
is worse amongst women who have suffered from IPV.

Keywords
Gender-based violence; Intimate partner violence; Spain

1. Introduction
Violence against women (VAW) is a violation of human rights, is rooted in
gender inequality, is a public health problem, and an impediment to
sustainable development. Intimate partner violence is one of the most
common forms of violence against women and includes physical, sexual and
emotional abuse and controlling behaviors by an intimate partner. More than

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