“In the feminist movement we are aware that the involvement of men is needed. They are essential to end the gender inequalities that exist in our society.”
The Head of the Coordination Unit Against Violence Against Women, Laura Segura, in an interview in the space ‘Viento de Levante’ of Television Melilla has pointed out that, “if there is a social, political and philosophical movement that believes in men, it is feminism”.
Segura has referred to the talks she gives in schools and the fact that, “in the classroom we always have victims of gender violence, knowing that three out of ten are suffering it or are living it in their own homes.”
In this sense, he has expressed that, every time he begins a talk in schools regarding this issue, he tries to make both students who are in these situations of violence feel safe and that his colleagues are aware of the subject so that they can accompany them if they want to ask for help.
She has highlighted the campaign that, under the motto of 'Con M de Mujeres. All the Women. Muévete', has launched the Ministry of Equality to mobilize the whole society to achieve an integrative feminism. “I thought it was a very successful campaign for the moment in which we live, showing the unity to recover the importance of focusing on why we have to continue claiming all these rights before the possibility of some setbacks.”
Feminization of poverty
The Head of Unit has stressed that it is difficult to talk about social justice or democracy when the rights of half of society are not being secured in practice. “Poverty has a woman’s face,” he said.
“Where is the time we women spend? Who values that time in caring for the home, caring for our children, and how do we spend more time than men? A time that, in addition, is not remunerated. Women are in the most precarious situations in our society,” he reflected.
On precisely this issue, he recalled the reforms in the workplace that have benefited women. “When, for example, we talk about the increase in the interprofessional minimum wage, we talk about an increase that has been a benefit for women, because we were precisely the ones who received the least in relation to men,” he explained.
Feminist Agenda
Segura referred to the 8th of March in which special emphasis has been placed on the exploitation of women’s bodies within gender violence and on how women’s bodies are being exploited through prostitution or rented wombs. “When we talk about ‘freedom’ to decide if we want them to exploit our body, it is not a real freedom, but sexual exploitation,” he said.
For this reason, it has insisted on an abolitionist law as a solution to the situation of women who are practicing prostitution and the need to focus on men who consume prostitution. “Feminism has to be radical. When we talk about radical, it means that it delves into the root of the problem, which is the patriarchal system that normalizes a machista culture that sustains violence, discrimination and inequalities,” he argued.
The Head of the Unit has confirmed that five women are already murdered in the country by male violence so far this year. “It is the main problem that we have pending, in addition to continuing to expand the rest of the violence that we suffer,” he concluded.