After four women in Spain were killed by men in the space of just 24 hours, the country's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has condemned male violence against women as "macho terrorism."
The state will do everything possible to put an end to these crimes, Grande-Marlaska said after an emergency meeting in Madrid on Thursday, noting that all police departments in the country have been called on to step up protection of women and children.
The fight against domestic violence has become a serious topic in Spain, and courts have begun passing strict sentences, while media coverage has remained extensive. Spain also has special prosecution offices and special courts dealing with violence against women.
On Wednesday, a 52-year-old man near Toledo killed his 32-year-old wife, who was nine months pregnant by another man, state TV station RTVE reported, citing police.
On the same day, a man in Madrid stabbed to death the 20-year-old daughter of his former partner, according to police.
In Bilbao, another woman was stabbed to death on Wednesday by her ex-boyfriend. And in Benidorm, a 22-year-old woman fell to her death from the sixth floor on Thursday - her boyfriend of the same age was arrested.
This brings the total number of such crimes in December to 10, accoding to newspaper La Vanguardia. There are also a further three suspected femicides.
Last year, according to official figures, 44 women died in the country with 47 million inhabitants as a result of violent attacks by their male partners or ex-partners.
