A total of 130 FCSE agents participate in the comprehensive security system on the occasion of the XVI Water Enclave

• These are 70 members of the CNP and 60 of the Soria Civil Guard Command. To them must be added the members of the Local Police of the City of Soria • The campaign ‘Ser Libre. Estar Viva’ aims to raise awareness of the different forms of violence against women and will be present at festivals, festivals in towns and cities and nightlife areas • The operation of the National Police will consist of uniformed citizen security devices, reinforcement by Prevention and Reaction Units (UPR) of Burgos and civilian units in efforts to prevent male violence.

July 27, 2023. The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, has today presented the security device provided by the National Police and the Civil Guard on the occasion of the XVI Water Enclave that takes place in Soria from today and until Saturday. At the same time, he has presented the ‘Ser Libre’ campaign. Estar Viva’ scheduled by the Violence against Women Unit of the Government Delegation in Castilla y León to raise awareness in the fight against male violence.

The delegate of the Government met this morning with the subdelegate of the Government in Soria, Miguel Latorre; with the head of the Citizen Security Unit and accidental head of the Police Station of Soria, Guillermo Simal; with the head of the Command of the Civil Guard in Soria, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Peñarroya, and with the head of the Unit against Violence on Women of the Subdelegation, Maite Lerma. At that meeting, the provisions of the Local Security Board held as a result of the celebration of the festival, and the planned security mechanism have been taken into account.

The Water Enclave of 2022 brought together, according to the organization, more than 40,000 people, a figure that can be surpassed in this year’s edition. Hence, a security system will be established according to the magnitude of one of the most significant music festivals in Castilla y León.

Specifically, there will be 130 members of the State Security Forces and Corps participating in the security mechanism, 70 National Police officers and 60 Civil Guard officers. In addition to these troops, the members of the Local Police of Soria must be added in terms of security.

As it is an urban scenario, most of the weight, in terms of security, falls on the National Police Force, whose action will be coordinated with the City of Soria, Local Police, Firefighters and the Red Cross.

“Each of the events scheduled for the Enclave demands a specific device”, explained the delegate of the Government who added that these devices are designed according to the risk assessment resulting from the rigorous study of the event, taking into account the capacity, location and possible conflict. All this to be able to carry out the police measures of prevention and maintenance of citizen security and public order that guarantee a free enjoyment of specific events and acts.

The Provincial Police Station of Soria has designed a device whose main premise is to avoid disturbances of public order and prevent the commission of criminal acts and violent acts. Likewise, to guarantee the free exercise of rights and freedoms, peaceful coexistence and the enjoyment of this festival. For this reason, a police device is established that is appropriate to the current Anti-Terrorist Alert Level, which is High, level 4 on a scale of 5, and other operational and sectoral plans of the Secretariat of State for Security.

To this end, the National Police Unit will consist of a uniform citizen security unit (Citizen Service Groups and Operational Response Groups). It will be reinforced with Prevention and Reaction Units (UPR) of Burgos in the hours and places of greatest influx, as well as civilian units in tasks of prevention of male violence. From the Soria Police Station there will be 55 specific agents of the Police Station assigned to the Enclave plus 15 of the UPR of Burgos.

Naturally, the National Police Force will maintain special attention in parallel to other neighborhoods and streets in which by their very nature a potential risk to citizen security and the commission of criminal actions is detected. It will also cover ordinary citizen requirements, without diminishing quality in the services provided on a continuous basis. The rest of the agents assigned to Soria are added to these tasks, as you know they are a total of around 150.

It will also take into account the “Be Free” campaign. Estar Viva” focused on the fight against machista aggression and violence.

This type of festival causes a greater movement on the roads and a greater number of people housed in the establishments of the province. In this regard, the Civil Guard has increased surveillance in the towns near the capital due to this increase in people and traffic during these three days. In total, 60 personnel (50 agents of Citizen Security and 10 of the Traffic Subsector) will work within its demarcation attending to the tasks that are typical of the Benemérita. These are Citizen Security officers whose job is the prevention of crimes. There is also a deployment of Traffic troops in the face of the foreseeable increase in traffic.

AGAINST MALE VIOLENCE

On the occasion of the celebration of the Enclave de Agua, the campaign ‘Ser Libre’ has also been presented. To be alive’ programmed by the Violence against Women Unit of the Government Delegation in coordination with these same units of the respective subdelegations.

“This is a generic campaign that wants to go a little further than sexual violence,” explained Virginia Barcones. As it is summer, we want to reach leisure centers in which most young people are concentrated. For this reason the campaign focuses on three scenarios such as the great festivals, of the type of the Enclave de Agua, the festivals of towns and cities and the private nightlife venues.

“Prevention is the best way to avoid a crime,” said the government delegate in Castilla y León, who explained that the ‘Ser Libre’ campaign. Estar Viva’ aims to “raise awareness of the different forms of violence against women and to identify and denounce all forms of male violence. Likewise, inform about the different comprehensive care services that victims have at their disposal.”

He said that “the data supports the need for this type of campaigns”. In this regard, he explained that in 2022 there were 619 crimes against sexual freedom in Castilla y León, of which 72 were sexual assaults with penetration. Crimes against sexual freedom increased by 18% compared to 2021. In Soria, there were 20 crimes against sexual freedom in 2022.

‘Be free. Being alive’ will have special relevance during the months of August and September. It will also be present at festivals such as the Enclave de Agua which, according to figures from the organization, hosted 40,000 people in 2022.

During the campaign, the phone 016, the mobile application Alercops, free legal assistance, psychological care, the work of the State Security Forces and Bodies, the importance of women’s networks without forgetting the importance of all policies of prevention and accompaniment to victims, will be valued.

VIOLET DOTS

The violet dots, which are included in the campaign, are part of the catalogue of urgent measures of the Improvement and Modernization Plan promoted by different ministries of the Government of Spain and represent a change of focus in public policies of care for victims, placing male violence as a structural problem that requires the involvement of the whole of society to put an end to it.

With these violet points, an attempt is made to involve the whole of society in the fight against male violence. Bringing comprehensive services closer to victims through their environment. And provide information on how to respond to a case of male violence to establishments, entities, companies and public agencies.

During the next three days, and on the occasion of the XVI Enclave del Agua, promotional items such as glasses or collators for mobiles will be distributed, in which reference will be made to the campaign. Likewise, posters will be distributed in the areas where the different stages of the festival will be located and, to finish, cards will be dispensed in which appear the phones to go to in case of machista violence.

It is 016 against gender violence, 062 from the Civil Guard, 091 from the National Police, 112 from Emergencies and a QR code that directs you to a page with information. The campaign should be about information and awareness but, in case of making a call to one of those numbers, there should also be a quick response to the victims.

STATE PACT

The violet dots have been visible during the holidays that have already been celebrated and will remain so for the rest. For five years, municipalities have been using funds from the State Pact against Gender Violence to carry out actions such as this.

In Castilla y León, municipalities have received 22 million euros since 2018. The last 4.6 million were published last week in the BOE. In 2023, the 183 municipalities of the province of Soria will receive 372,000 euros, of which 24,600 will arrive in the capital.

On the other hand, the Junta de Castilla y León has received this year 14 M€ from the Government of Spain to combat violence against women.

According to the delegate, “thanks to this investment, to this work carried out by the institutions, there is already a long way to raise awareness among the population as a preventive measure before this problem. The violet dots seem to me to be a very practical and effective measure to combat male violence.”

NIGHTLIFE SPACES

The campaign will also reach private nightlife venues. Discotheques, concert halls, bars, music bars, etc., are meeting and relationship spaces that, like many others, sometimes become the scene of behaviors that prevent everyone from enjoying them equally.

From the Units against Violence against Women “we are going to promote meetings with those responsible for these leisure spaces to explain what our campaign consists of and to request their collaboration,” said Virginia Barcones.

These meetings will emphasize the promotion of denunciation as a starting point for addressing the problem. The use of the Alercops application will also be disseminated, in addition to seeking an increase in security measures in these establishments. “They and the workers in those venues, including waiters or security guards, are going to be offered talks to mark collaborative strategies,” he explained.

It is also necessary to inform in the event that, unfortunately, a sexual assault occurred. Provide guidelines on how to act, how to refer such cases through an optimal circuit for the immediate attention of the victim and so that the aggressor can be brought to justice.

According to Barcones, “measures to tackle male violence in the context of leisure activities related to festivals, festivals in our towns and cities or night-time activities involve awareness-raising (with appropriate materials), coordination between all the institutions involved in the protection of women, citizen collaboration and also police presence in a double plane: uniformed and located in strategic places, as a deterrent measure, but also discreetly to detect very worrying practices.