An Algorithm Told Police She Was Safe. Then Her Husband Killed Her

An algorithm used by Spanish police to assess the risk of domestic violence victims has come under scrutiny after a woman, Lobna Hemid, was killed by her husband despite being deemed at low risk by the system called VioGén. The algorithm, aimed at predicting and preventing assaults, has been integrated into law enforcement practices in Spain. While it has helped protect some women, it has also failed in cases where victims were miscalculated as low risk and subsequently harmed again, leading to fatal outcomes. Spain has 92,000 active cases evaluated by VioGén, with a significant percentage of victims classified as facing little risk experiencing further harm. The system's flaws have raised concerns about the reliance on algorithms in making critical decisions, with experts highlighting the need for human assessment and accountability in such sensitive matters. Despite government defense of VioGén's overall impact in reducing violence against women, critics emphasize the importance of addressing the algorithm's limitations and ensuring adequate training and resources for law enforcement to effectively respond to gender violence cases.