State responses to victims of terrorism needs in Spain

Abstract

The chapter studies the provision and delivery of services to Spanish victims of terrorism by state entities. It also provides a historical account of the evolution of the system whilst taking into consideration the impact resulting from the dynamics of violence and the evolving social and political context. The analysis addresses the absence of institutional support in the 1970s and 1980s and notes how the feeling of neglect that many victims felt during this period led to the establishment of the first victims associations in the country. It then analyses the institutionalisation of a support system in the form of statutory bodies and specialised legislation during the 1990s before mapping out the regime now in place in both Spain and the Basque Country. The current framework is constituted by two main elements: the day-to-day work of statutory bodies and the rights protected and needs addressed by legislative initiatives. Within this framework, the most important instruments have been put in place by the central government and the Basque regional administration.