A 52-year-old man assaulted his wife, who is 46, with several stab wounds last Saturday in Pobla del Duc, Valencia. After the attack, he fled to Leganés, a town in Madrid, where he turned himself in to the authorities. The injured woman was hospitalized and is recovering from non-fatal injuries. There was no damage to vital organs, and her medical team reports a stable condition. The couple had been living apart as part of an ongoing separation process, and the man had gone to the mother-in-law’s residence where the woman was alone before driving to Madrid. There, he surrendered to the Civil Guard. Investigators are examining the motives behind the incident and the sequence of events that led to the attack.
Vincent Gomer, the mayor of Pobla del Duc, stated that the community was deeply shocked by the events. He noted the couple’s prominence in the town’s cultural life and expressed horror at what occurred, describing the moment local police came on duty on Saturday morning. The mayor emphasized that the couple had been known locally and that the incident struck a nerve across the town.
The official Pobla del Duc City Council profile on social media issued a formal message condemning gender-based violence. The post conveyed the town’s sorrow and clearly rejected such acts, highlighting the brutality of the incident and its impact on residents. It stressed a collective stance against sexist violence and reaffirmed the council’s support for the woman and her family, while emphasizing the community’s determination to reject violence in any form.
Temporary detention
The stabbing victim is a Pobla del Duc native, while the accused is from Aielo de Rugat. Both individuals have an adult son. Some neighbors spoke with the newspaper, suggesting the couple had been in the process of divorce and had begun living separately. They indicated the situation appeared to be moving toward a mutual agreement for separation, though the violence abruptly changed the course of events.
Following the attack, the man was placed in temporary detention after being charged with a gender-based violence offense and for escaping the scene. Authorities continue to piece together the timeline and assess any prior warnings or indicators that might have signaled risk.
In the broader context of responses to gender-based violence, emergency services and law enforcement stress the availability of support resources and reporting channels for victims and witnesses.
Against sexist violence, 016
Helpline 016 offers confidential assistance to victims of gender-based violence around the clock, every day of the year. The service provides multilingual support from trained professionals. If you or someone you know is a victim of physical, psychological, sexual, economic, or any other form of violence, you can call 016. This number does not appear on any phone bill.
For urgent situations, emergency responders can be reached via 112, which is available at all times for immediate help.