- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: diariodeavisos.elespanol.com, riskycities.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- The 016 hotline is free, confidential, doesn't show up on phone bills, works 24/7, and is staffed in many languages including English — worth saving in your phone even if you never expect to need it.
- You do not need to file a police report to get help from CAVIS or the 016 service after a sexual assault — support and medical care come first if you want them to.
- Emergency contraception (the 'morning-after pill') is sold over the counter at any pharmacy in Santa Cruz de Tenerife without a prescription and without age restriction — pharmacists can advise on which type suits your timing.
- If you're on a regular pill, IUD, or implant routine and are just passing through, bring enough supply with you — arranging a new prescription or IUD insertion in Spain as a short-term visitor usually means paying out of pocket at a private clinic rather than through the public system.
- If you've experienced a sexual assault, hospital emergency rooms (Servicio Canario de la Salud) are the standard first stop for medical care, evidence preservation, and being connected to CAVIS or victim support services.
- Abortion is legal on request up to 14 weeks and free of charge under Spain's public health system (SNS) for both residents and non-residents, including tourists — you will not be asked to justify your reason.
- For a nomad or visitor, the practical route into public abortion care starts with a referral through Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the main public hospital handling gynecology/obstetrics on the island.
- Private OB/GYN consultations in Santa Cruz de Tenerife are affordable by Western European standards, generally running roughly €41–79 for a standard visit, and can get you seen faster than the public system.
- Spanish is the default working language at nearly all clinics; if English-language care matters to you, call ahead to confirm a doctor's English proficiency before booking.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street and Nightlife Harassment
Santa Cruz de Tenerife's city council has publicly acknowledged sexual harassment of women in nightlife venues as a recurring problem and has run awareness campaigns on it, including one under the slogan 'Ni de día, ni de noche. No existe momento ni lugar para el acoso machista' for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. As of mid-2026, six well-known bars and clubs in the city center (including Bulan, The Red Lion, Bambú Lounge, Azotea Urban 180, Dubliner and Sabbath) have joined an island-wide protocol that trains staff to detect, prevent and intervene in sexual harassment incidents on their premises.
Walking Alone at Night
General safety trackers report that residents and visitors in Santa Cruz de Tenerife mostly feel secure after dark, and solo women are generally described as able to explore the city comfortably if they stick to well-lit, busier streets. The same sources flag a few outlying residential neighborhoods — La Salud, La Cuesta and Los Majuelos — as having a reputation for higher crime and advise extra caution there at night, particularly for non-locals.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
As across Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife has an established licensed taxi system alongside ride-hailing options, and travelers unfamiliar with current local rules are advised to use official taxi ranks or book through an app rather than accept unsolicited rides. Local safety guides for the city specifically recommend using a licensed taxi or a booked ride-hailing trip rather than walking back alone after a night out.
Dedicated Police Response for Women
Santa Cruz de Tenerife's Policía Local runs a dedicated unit, GRAMU, focused on assisting women and intervening in cases of gender-based violence, covering physical, sexual and psychological aggression in both public and private settings. The unit's stated role includes detecting situations where violence is already occurring and intervening to stop it.
Nightlife and Drink Safety
Solo female travelers in Santa Cruz are generally described as safe but advised to be cautious around bars and clubs, where unwanted attention can occur. Common practical advice includes keeping an eye on drinks in clubs and late bars, sticking to well-reviewed venues, and being extra watchful for pickpocketing during crowded events like Carnival.
Abortion Law
- Minors
- The previous requirement for women aged 16 and 17 to obtain parental consent for abortions is scrapped, along with the 3-day period of reflection.
- Country
- Spain
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Governing Law
- Organic Law 2/2010 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy, as amended by Organic Law 1/2023
- Waiting Period
- The mandatory 3-day reflection period between receiving information and the procedure has been removed by the 2023 reform.
- Foreign Nationals
- Non-residents, including tourists, can access abortion care in Spain; there is no requirement to justify the reason for the procedure, and the service is confidential.
- Cost Public System
- Both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for resident and non-resident women within Spain's public health system (SNS).
- Access Route Notes
- Care is intended to be provided as close as possible to the woman's home, though historically some autonomous communities have had higher rates of conscientious-objecting doctors, which pushed patients toward private clinics or other provinces; this is a known structural issue nationally, not specific to Tenerife.
Abortion Time Limits
- On Request
- Abortion is legal without justification up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.
- Extended Limit
- Permitted up to 22 weeks if there are serious risks to the woman's health or life, or severe fetal anomalies.
- Beyond 22 Weeks
- After 22 weeks, abortion is only legal when fetal anomalies incompatible with life are detected, or in cases of extraordinarily severe and incurable fetal disease, always following evaluation by a clinical committee.
OB-GYN Options Santa Cruz De Tenerife
Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora De Candelaria
- Type
- Public hospital (Servicio Canario de Salud)
- Address
- Ctra. General del Rosario, 145, 38010 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Main public referral hospital on the island for obstetrics and gynecology, including maternity and reproductive health services; this is the typical entry point for publicly funded abortion care for residents.
- Language Notes
- Spanish is the primary working language; English availability varies by staff member.
Hospital Quirónsalud Tenerife
- Phone
- 922 270 700
- Type
- Private hospital
- Address
- Calle Poeta Rodríguez Herrera, 1, 38006 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Private gynecology and obstetrics department covering general checkups, benign and oncological gynecological pathology, and pelvic floor care.
Clínica Cuidarte – Espacio Salud
- Type
- Private women's health clinic
- Address
- Calle el Pilar, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Women's health clinic with gynecologists offering reproductive health counseling, family planning, prenatal preparation, and menopause care.
Ginefem
- Type
- Private OB/GYN specialist practice
- Address
- Pi y Margall, 31, 38004 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Specialist obstetrics and gynecology practice offering general women's health services.
IVI Tenerife – Clínica De Reproducción Asistida Y Fertilidad
- Type
- Private fertility clinic
- Address
- C. Juan Pablo II, 5, 38004 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Assisted reproduction and fertility specialists; part of a larger national fertility clinic network.
Clínica Martínez-Wallin
- Type
- Private multi-specialty clinic
- Address
- C. Álvarez de Lugo, 16, 38004 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Notes
- Multi-specialty private clinic including a gynecology department alongside dentistry, psychology, and endocrinology.
National Emergency Hotlines
016 – Gender Violence & Violence Against Women Information Line
- Phone
- 016
- Cost
- Free and confidential; call does not appear on the phone bill
- Languages
- Telephone service available in 53 languages including English
- Alt Contact
- WhatsApp 600 000 016; email 016-online@igualdad.gob.es; online chat via Delegación del Gobierno contra la Violencia de Género website
- Availability
- 24 hours a day, every day
- Notes
- Does not require filing a police report to access support.
- Description
- National government-run line offering information, legal advice, and immediate psychosocial support for all forms of violence against women.
112 – Emergency Services (Canary Islands DEMA Protocol)
- Phone
- 112
- Availability
- 24 hours a day, every day
- Description
- Standard EU-wide emergency number; in the Canary Islands, calling 112 activates DEMA (Dispositivo de Emergencia para Mujeres Agredidas), which can arrange immediate shelter and connect a victim to police and crisis services.
012 – Canary Islands General Information Line
- Phone
- 012
- Cost
- Free and confidential
- Description
- Can be used to get directed to the regional 24-hour sexual violence crisis centers (Centros de Asistencia Integral 24 horas) in the Canary Islands.
Local Specialized Services Santa Cruz De Tenerife
cavis@iass.es
- Phone
- 670 011 244
- Name
- CAVIS – Centro de Atención e Intervención Especializada a Víctimas de Violencia Sexual (Tenerife-wide sexual violence crisis center, based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:30–16:30 for scheduled contact; urgent/in-person attention available outside these hours
- Description
- A dedicated 24-hour crisis center for women and girls (16+) who have experienced sexual violence, offering psychological, legal, and social support without requiring a police report.
922 843 142 / 922 843 125
- Name
- Red Insular de Recursos y Servicios Públicos Especializados de Atención a Víctimas de Violencia de Género (Cabildo de Tenerife / IASS)
- Address
- C/ Diego Almagro, 1 – Edificio Hogar de la Sagrada Familia (Casa Cuna), 38010 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Additional Contacts
- Psychologist 670 011 244; Social worker 670 011 233; Lawyer 670 011 261; 600 50 51 52
- Description
- Municipal/island-run support point (Punto Violeta network) offering psychological, legal and social-work support to victims of gender-based and sexual violence.
Contraception And Emergency Contraception Access
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Regulatory Note
- Hormonal contraception, IUDs, implants, and emergency contraception are all legal, government price-regulated, and widely available in Spain, including in pharmacies across Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Ongoing Female Methods
Copper IUD
- Price
- €160
- Insertion By
- Gynecologist
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Range Note
- Total cost including device and insertion consultation typically runs roughly 125–200 EUR at a private clinic.
Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Access Route
- Prescribed by a GP, gynecologist, or family planning clinic (Unidad de Atención a la Salud Sexual y Reproductiva); filled at any pharmacy
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Note For Visitors
- Nomads/tourists without Spanish public health coverage will typically need a private gynecology consultation to get a prescription; cost varies by clinic and is not government price-capped the way the medication itself is.
Hormonal IUD And Implant
- Insertion By
- Gynecologist
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Note
- Available through both public health system referral (Servicio Canario de la Salud) and private gynecology clinics; public-system access for non-residents/tourists is generally limited, so most visiting nomads use private clinics.
Emergency Contraception
- Where To Get It
- Any staffed pharmacy (farmacia) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife sells emergency contraception over the counter without a prescription; public health centers (Centros de Salud) and sexual/reproductive health units can also provide it, sometimes free.
Levonorgestrel Pill
- Price
- €20
- Brand Examples
- Norlevo, Postinor (and generics)
- Effective Window
- Up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, most effective within the first 24 hours
- Prescription Required
- No
- Price Range Note
- Typical pharmacy price range is roughly 10–25 EUR depending on brand/generic.
Ulipristal Acetate Pill
- Price
- €30
- Brand Example
- ellaOne
- Effective Window
- Up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex; more effective than levonorgestrel later in the window
- Prescription Required
- No
Typical Private Gynecology Consultation Cost
- Low End
- €41
- High End
- €79
- Note
- General private consultation pricing found for the province; actual fee depends on clinic and whether it's a first visit or includes ultrasound/testing.
Reporting Process Notes
Reporting Process Notes
- It is not necessary to file a police report to access crisis centers, the 016 line, or CAVIS support.
- If reporting a sexual assault, medical guidance is to avoid washing or changing clothes before a medical exam and police report are completed, so that evidence can be preserved.
- Hospital emergency departments within the Servicio Canario de la Salud are the standard first point of medical contact for reporting a rape or serious sexual assault.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Cost of Living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Visas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Safety in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Co-working in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Connectivity & Internet in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Best Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Emergencies in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Walkability & Transport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.