"Those who, with their speeches and acts, as well as with their complicit silences, deny gender violence, confuse the citizens about the origin of this violence, put at risk the achievements reached and, above all, endanger the victims, because they promote silence and silence is the best ally for gender violence."
The Head of the Unit Against Gender Violence, Laura Segura, has denounced that, currently, “we are witnessing the questioning of gender violence and its laundering, the denial of machismo as the source of this violence.”
In a public appearance, in which he provided the data on the balance of the situation of Gender Violence in our city during the first quarter of 2024, he stressed that, in the fight against gender violence, “the involvement and awareness of all citizens is fundamental because we need a clear response of rejection from society, an individual and collective position against gender violence, in all its manifestations, and in these moments that we live, more than ever”.
The Head of Unit stressed the importance of “continuing to consolidate each of the achievements made in equality and in the fight against gender violence” and, in turn, “to continue moving forward to end each of the male violence, violence suffered by women because they are women and to eradicate inequality, whose most terrible expression is gender violence”.
In this sense, he has referred to the importance of perceiving this violence as a structural violence and that “it is one of the cruellest manifestations of subordination and imbalance in the power relations between men and women.”
Segura has insisted that “the coordination and action of all institutions, administrations, entities, agencies with the unique commitment of the construction of an egalitarian society and free of violence against women is indispensable.” “The attention and accompaniment to women who are suffering violence is key, giving them alternatives so that they can feel protected, safe and strong to break the cycle of violence,” he stressed.
Allegations of Gender-Based Violence
In her public appearance, Laura Segura has released the data offered by the State Security Forces and Corps in Melilla, to date, on the evolution of complaints of gender violence.
Thus, the first quarter ended with 67 complaints, with an increase of 1.52% compared to the first quarter of 2023, where 66 complaints of gender violence were registered. So far this year, the distribution of complaints by month has been 19 in January; 30 in February; 18 in March; 19 in April; 27 in May; and 28 in June.
As Segura has explained, the number of complaints remains in relation to last year. “The first quarter has practically not changed, there is only one report of difference, that is, we notice a certain stabilization,” he explained.
In terms of the number of complaints, the Unit has made an assessment of the evolution of these years and has indicated that, there was a special situation with the COVID. “It is true that, in the year of the pandemic, we saw a reduction in complaints, especially for the second and third trimesters, and from the year of the pandemic, we began to see an increase in complaints,” he said.
But he has made it clear that “it does not correspond to a general upturn in the number of data we usually have in the city, but a upturn with respect to that stop we had.” In fact “now, from the data we have been observing, it seems that we are returning to the data prior to the COVID situation and, in fact, they are stabilized with respect to last year”. Although he has warned that, since we arrive at the summer season and, as has happened in previous years, there is an increase in data.
Increase the use of 016
Regarding calls to 016, he explained that, since the launch of this Telephone Service for Information and Legal Advice on Gender Violence in September 2007 and until May 31 of this year, 2,060 relevant calls have been received in Melilla.
“Since January 1 and until May 31, 68 calls have been received compared to the 45 registered calls in the same period of the year 2023,” he reported, and explained that 72.7% of the calls were made by the user herself -49 calls -, 16.17% -11 calls - by relatives or close people, while 11.76% -8 calls - by others or not.
Thus, he explained, the first quarter ended with 42 calls to 016, compared to 22 calls received in the same period of the year 2023, which represents an increase of 90.9%. “There is an increase in the city of women who are using this service and this is positive, because it means that a State service is consolidated that, in many of these cases, also ends in a complaint and it is important that it is known,” he said.
In addition, he explained that this resource has expanded services to other forms of violence against women, including trafficking in women for the purpose of exploitation while previously there was a specific telephone for this type of crime. Not only that, this resource for underage women is also extended.
Specifically, the number of calls to 016 per month has involved 17 in January, 16 in February, 9 in March, 12 in April and 14 in May.
It has also highlighted that, since March 2021, calls to 016 include those related to other forms of violence, in addition to those related to gender violence, so partner or ex-partner violence also includes sexual violence in that area.
In turn, it has highlighted the fact that, according to the rest of the consultation modalities, that is via WhatsApp, Emails and Chats, the number of relevant queries made since the launch of the services is 2,088 and so far this year they rise to 72, since to the relevant calls would be added 3 queries via WhatsApp and 1 through chat.
ATENPRO and VioGen
In her speech, the Head of the Unit reported the number of users of the Telephone Service for Care and Protection for Victims of Gender Violence (ATENPRO), and explained that in January, February and March of this 2024 there were 21 users registered in the same, while in April there were 20 and in May there were again 21.
As for the active cases in VioGén, according to the data published on the website of the Ministry of the Interior in its monthly statistics, the active cases in January were 228; in February, 231; in March, 227; in April, 224; and 227 in the month of May.
According to the data extracted from the monthly statistics of the Ministry of the Interior of the last month published, the month of May 2024, to the 227 active cases in the VioGén System in Melilla, as of May 31, 2024, we must add the 2,242 inactivated cases from 2007 to this date, which makes a total of 2,469 total cases and 2,289 total victims in our city from 2007 to the present.
With regard to the distribution by risk levels, 112 are the active cases of unappreciated risk; 96 are those of low irrigation; 18 are of medium risk; and 1 case of high risk.
Of these active cases, 143 would be with minors of whom 21 are in a vulnerable situation, 3 are at risk and there are a total of 10 cases of special relevance.
“At the moment, we have 230 cases in assets and 5 high risks, the risks being mostly medium, low and not appreciated,” he explained.