Virginia Barcones meets with hospitality and nightlife associations to make them part of the ‘Be Free’ campaign. Be Alive’

• In each subdelegation of Government there will be a work table in which these leisure spaces will be offered information on how to act with the victim in a case of male violence • Through the National Police and Civil Guard, guidelines will be given on how to act with the alleged aggressor until the arrival of the State Security Corps and Forces

September 28, 2023.- The Government delegate in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, has held a meeting with representatives of hotel and nightlife associations to make them participate in the awareness campaign against gender violence ‘Ser Libre. Be Alive’. During the meeting it has been agreed that in each province there will be a working meeting between leaders and workers of the sector in which they are guided on how to act with the victim of a case of male violence and, likewise, with the aggressor.

In the meeting that took place in the Government Delegation in Castilla y León, the manager of the Association of Entrepreneurs of Valladolid, María José de la Calle and the member of the Association More than Bars of Valladolid, Juan José García, were present. The Superior Chief of the National Police in Castilla y León, Juan Carlos Hernández Muñoz, the Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of the Valladolid Command of the Civil Guard, Andrés Manuel Velarde, as well as the coordinator of the Units against Violence against Women of the Government subdelegations, Jessica Martínez, and the head of this unit in the subdelegation of the Government of Valladolid, Eduardo Gutiérrez, have also participated.

Virginia Barcones has explained to attendees that the meeting’s goal is to work with hospitality and leisure associations to extend the ‘Ser Libre Campaign. Be Alive’ to those areas of influence that preferably bring together young people after having been at festivals and patron saint’s parties during the summer period. “The idea is to work for a society free of male violence, for a society without male aggression and without gender violence,” explained the government delegate.

During the meeting, representatives of the hotel associations were informed of the means available to the Government Delegation and the various subdelegations to combat gender-based violence. These are the sub-delegations’ Civil Guard, National Police and Units Against Violence against Women.

The parties have agreed to hold meetings in each of the provinces between officials, workers and security companies of bars and nightlife areas with officials of the Violence Units of the Government subdelegations, and officials of the National Police and Civil Guard.

These meetings will explain how to act with a victim of male violence in a place of leisure from the time the aggression occurs until it is attended by professionals. It would also explain how to act with the alleged aggressor until the arrival of the State Security Forces and Corps.

“Those who come must have the confidence to ask and train. The more people know the resources and know how to act, the better. Private security is essential in these places of leisure in the face of a case of male aggression,” said Barcones.

The spokesman of the Association More than Bars of Valladolid, Juan José García, has applauded the initiative since he recognizes that in a case of this type “we do not know how to act”. “We have our private security but we do not know how to treat the victim and how to treat the aggressor in that first moment,” he added.

Over the next few weeks, managers, workers and security companies specializing in nightlife bars will be convened in each of the provincial subdelegations to attend these training and exchange of impressions meetings.

PRESENCE IN FESTIVALS AND PATRON SAINT'S PARTIES

The ‘Be Free’ campaign. Among its objectives, Estar Viva’ aims to raise society’s awareness of gender-based violence, prevent as well as identify and arrest the perpetrators of crimes through the presence of State Security Forces and Bodies, and finally offer victims comprehensive care.

‘Be free. Estar Viva’ has been present during the summer is the main festivals as well as patron festivities that have taken place in Castilla y León. For its correct development they held and are held (there are still festivals and multitudinous events to be held) local security meetings with the town councils organizing the festive events. They are boards that co-chair the subdelegates with the mayors and in which the security forces and bodies are present: Civil Guard or National Police and Local Police. In addition to other institutions or entities if considered necessary such as Red Cross, medical services, firefighters or civil protection, to give some examples.

Among the security actions that the sub-delegates and sub-delegates have not overlooked in any case are those related to combating male violence.

An essential element of this work of awareness is the Violeta Point, a physical space with informative guides, informative materials and identified people who are prepared in the fight against male violence. It is an instrument promoted by the Government of Spain to involve the whole of society in the fight against male violence and to spread, in a massive way, the information necessary to know how to act in a case of violence against women.

Public policies against male violence now have another approach since they place this scourge as a structural problem that requires the involvement of the whole of society to put an end to it. The implication that is intended to be achieved finds its beacon in those violet points that remember in all the multitudinous events that violence against women by the fact of being committed by men is a problem that must be combated.

This lighthouse that is the violet points also serves to bring comprehensive services closer to the victims and to provide information on how to act in a case of male violence.

During the summer festivals and festivals, the accent has been placed on deterrence through the ostensible presence of national police and civil guards in uniform, even with all the predicaments of specialized units on horseback, with dogs, drones or intervention. In coercion, with the presence of civilian agents that can stop male chauvinistic behaviors. And in the identification and detention of the perpetrators of the crimes if unfortunately they occur.

‘Be Free. Estar Viva’ has been present in the main musical festivals that during the summer have toured Castilla y León. Festivals such as the Sonorama Ribera de Aranda de Duero with 150,000 accumulated visitors; the Enclave de Agua de Soria, with about 40,000; the 40 SummerLive of Simancas, with 7,000 people; the Ebrofest of Miranda de Ebro, which was attended by about 20,000 people.

It will also be present at festivals that have not yet been held such as the Monoloco Fest that will gather around 10,000 young people in León on October 7.

To these presences in festivals we must add those that have taken place in special days such as the Medieval Days of Ávila, which bring together more than 100,000 people as well as in patron celebrations of cities and towns.