Canary Islands gender-based violence helpline handled 17,372 alerts by October
The 112 service recorded an 11% rise in gender-based violence alerts across the Canary Islands between January and October 2026.
The Canary Islands’ 112 service for women affected by gender-based violence handled 17,372 alerts between January and October 2026, an increase of 11% on the previous year.
Of those alerts, 10,239, or 59%, were classified as emergencies: cases in which a woman faced imminent danger and police, health services or an island emergency response team had to be called in.
October emergency response
In October, the service recorded 1,107 emergency alerts. Island emergency teams for women who have been assaulted, known as DEMA, were activated 201 times. The response also involved 1,060 police resources and 92 health resources.
Emergency accommodation was provided for 41 women and their 18 children who could not stay elsewhere and needed protection from their abuser.
Almost 5% of the assaults recorded in October were sexual assaults. The 112 service activated 24-hour crisis centres on 41 occasions. Physical violence without sexual assault accounted for 38%, while non-physical violence accounted for a further 42%.
The women affected made 41% of the calls that month. A further 22% came from people who encountered an incident, 19% from institutions and 5% from relatives.
The specialised 112 service is funded by the Canary Islands Institute for Equality and operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The institute also supports a network of information, prevention and support services across the archipelago, including Fuerteventura, in partnership with the island councils.