Virginia Barcones presents the campaign ‘Ser Libre. Living Alive’ on the occasion of the festivities of San Antolín in Palencia

• The Government delegate in Castilla y León underlines the importance of offering women all possible information on how to act in the face of a case of gender violence • She has attended the presentation of the Violeta Points carried out by the City of Palencia • The campaign will be present in other spaces with crowds of people such as the fairgrounds, the Plaza de San Miguel and the sports pavilion

August 23, 2023.- The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, has presented in Palencia the awareness campaign against the machista aggressions 'Ser Libre. To be alive’ on the occasion of the beginning of the patron saint’s festivities in honor of St. Antolin. During the presentation he highlighted the importance for society that the youngest children know how to detect a case of male violence in any of its forms and also have all the information on how to act.

The Government delegate has attended the presentation of the Violeta Points carried out by the City of Palencia on the occasion of the festivities in honor of San Antolín that take place between August 24 and September 3. The event was accompanied by the mayor of Palencia, Miriam Andrés; the deputy delegate of the Government in Palencia, Ángel Miguel Gutiérrez; the councilor for Social Welfare, Rosario García Carnés; the councilor of the Women’s Service, Mar Rodríguez Palomero, and the provincial president of the Red Cross, Ana Pérez del Río.

During her speech, the delegate explained that ‘To be free. Estar Viva’ is an awareness campaign focused on the fight against male aggression and violence that is organized by the Unit against Gender Violence of the Government Delegation in collaboration with the units of the respective subdelegations.

The campaign is aimed, above all, at the youngest and the places they occupy during this summer period. That is, festivals, patron saint’s parties and nightlife venues. “We talk about scenarios in which our youth can be especially vulnerable,” said the government delegate.

According to data from the Ministry of the Interior’s Crime Balance for the first quarter of 2023, Palencia has registered between January and March a single crime against sexual freedom.

With the ‘Be Free’ campaign. Estar Viva’, provides young people with as much information as possible on how to recognize and act in the event of sexual violence. The campaign has been present in festivals such as Sonorama, in Aranda de Duero, and Enclave de Agua, in Soria, scenarios in which the Violeta Points were important.

The Violeta Points are part of the catalogue of 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 attention to victims, placing male violence as a structural problem that requires the involvement of the whole of society to end it.

During the festivities of San Antolín there will be three Violeta Points that will be in Palencia. One will be the one located in the Plaza Mayor and that will promptly move to the two that will be established in the Park of El Salón and in Las Huertas del Obispo, scenarios where a greater influx of public is expected.

‘Be Free. Estar Viva’ will be present at these Violeta Points and for this purpose posters, glasses or cards will be distributed. Victims of a case of gender violence should know that, in addition to 016, they have at their disposal the application Alertcops, 062 of the Civil Guard, 091 of the National Police, 112 of Emergencies and a QR code that directs you to a page with information. The campaign must be information and awareness raising, but, in case of making a call to one of these numbers, there must also be a quick response to attend to the victims.

The campaign will also include free legal assistance, psychological care, the work of the State Security Forces and Corps, the importance of women’s networks, without forgetting, as I said before, the relevance of all policies of prevention and accompaniment to victims.

The campaign will also be present in other relevant points of the city that, on the occasion of the festivities, will welcome a significant number of people: the sports pavilions, the Plaza de San Miguel or exhibition grounds, scenarios in which the Red Cross is collaborating.

Of course, the State Security Corps and Forces, especially the National Police, with 200 officers, in collaboration with the Local Police, will strengthen their numbers in the streets of Palencia, paying special attention to possible cases of machismo attacks. For its part, the Civil Guard will ensure, within its powers, road safety at the entrances to the Palentine capital.

STATE PACT FUNDS

The Violeta Points will be present at these festivities and will continue to be present in the future as the municipalities have had funds from the State Pact against Gender Violence for five years.

In this regard, in Castilla y León the municipalities have received 22 million euros since 2018. In addition, the autonomous community of Castilla y León has received this year 14 M€ from the Government of Spain to combat violence against women.