Rising Demand: APAV Supports 36,500 Women Facing Violence in Portugal

Portugal’s foremost victim support organisation has witnessed a clear upward trajectory in the number of women seeking help, upending earlier hopes of a plateau. Between 2022 and 2024 combined, the Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV) assisted a cumulative total of 36,489 women—a figure that reflects an 11.1% increase in 2024 compared to 2022—with around 85% of those cases linked to domestic violence. Advocates attribute this trend to greater public awareness, entrenched gender norms and the rapid escalation of abuse scenarios.

Trends in Victim Support

APAV’s annual breakdown reveals that in 2022 it aided 11,410 women, increasing to 12,398 in 2023 and 12,681 in 2024. Over the same period the association logged 70,179 offences, marking a 10% rise in total reports. On average, APAV professionals have supported 20 women per day, and those aged 18–64 account for the majority of cases. Notably, assistance requests from foreign nationals climbed by 29.7%, underscoring the organisation’s broader reach across Portugal’s migrant communities.

APAV’s Strategic Innovations

In 2022, APAV launched MY APAV, a mobile web application that allows victims to access resources and helps streamline volunteer coordination. The Serviço de Informação e Apoio a Vítimas de Violência Doméstica (SIAD) helpline expanded its hours from 08:00 to 23:00, improving accessibility for victims in crisis. APAV also maintains two shelters, Casa de Abrigo ALCIPE and SOPHIA, offering safe havens for women and children fleeing violence. The specialised CARE network provides dedicated support to minors who endure sexual abuse. Between 2022 and 2023 APAV delivered 1,442 training sessions followed by 1,566 awareness activities, engaging over 33,106 participants nationwide.

Financial Backing and Policy Framework

A landmark protocol with five ministries boosted APAV’s government funding by 40%, channeling more than €400,000 annually into victim services. This agreement, renewable each year, underpins the APAV Strategic Plan 2022–2025, which prioritises service quality, resource reinforcement and victims’ autonomy. Annual statistical reports, including the "Estatísticas APAV | Vítimas no Feminino," inform policymakers on evolving patterns of gender-based violence and guide public investment decisions.

Portugal in a Pan-European Perspective

Across Europe, support organisations report similar surges. Victim Support Europe assisted over 3 million people in 2023 and 3.2 million in 2024. In Spain the ATENPRO helpline users grew from 16,716 in 2021 to 17,062 in 2022 and 18,074 in 2023. Ireland’s Women’s Aid recorded a 12% increase in contacts last year, totalling 32,144, with 46,765 abuse reports. Germany’s national line for violence against women hit 61,235 counselling sessions in 2024, up from 42,798 in 2023; official statistics list 265,942 domestic violence victims that year, 70% of whom were female. These figures highlight a continental rise in both reporting and support needs, driven by improved awareness and the persistent challenge of gender-based violence.