“We need a paradigm shift and break with the whole structure that sustains gender-based violence,” said Laura Segura, Head of the Government Delegation’s Gender Violence Coordination Unit.
In an interview with Onda Cero he said that we are facing a complicated situation as a society, “we have a democracy where women are still murdered practically every week.” “We need a society free of male violence and, women in particular, a society free of violence,” she said.
Segura has said that we are in a paradigm shift, “I think we all agree on the importance of society acting, being a fundamental part in acting, in prevention and in raising awareness” because, “the weight of gender violence cannot continue to fall always and only on the victims”.
“We have to act when we know that a situation of gender violence is taking place, denounce and be a friend to those women who may be suffering it,” he said. To do this, “we have to have knowledge of how we can help her, what resources exist and know how to accompany her when she wants or does not file a complaint,” he stressed.
In the words of Laura Segura, “we have to be very clear that in gender violence we are talking about a public crime and, therefore, we are obliged to inform the State Security Forces and Bodies”. “As a society we have to act,” he said.
Extend the Violet Dot
For all these reasons, and in order to expand the network of information and safe spaces that the Violeta Point represents, it has emphasized the impulse that is being given by the Government Delegation so that different spaces and sectors acquire that commitment and become part of the Violeta Point.
“We have promoted a series of protocols of action and collaboration so that those organizations and administrations are part and assume the commitment to have the information accessible and visible,” he said. In addition, he explained that this commitment implies that there are people trained in gender violence who know how to act in case of situations of violence and people who are referents for accompaniment in these cases.
Segura has positively valued that the Violeta Point reaches the leisure and hospitality spaces of the city. “It is important that they are part of this network of safe spaces and that they adhere to the collaboration protocols, that they are safe spaces for awareness and deterrence,” he stressed. “We believe that these are very important spaces when it comes to accompanying victims and caring for them.”
In addition, he has said that a person can be in himself Punto Violeta, “an active point in the fight against gender violence.” “What we want is a commitment as a society, both collective and individual, to reject violence, show support for the victims and end the negationist discourse,” he said.
Summer, critical moment for the VioGen
The Head of Unit has pointed out that so far this month there are seven cases of fatalities and one case under investigation, “a painful and terrible figure and unbearable for a democracy where ours, where women supposedly should live in freedom and free of male violence.”
In this regard, he has pointed out that the summer is a “critical” and “complicated” moment, especially in July, when more deaths occur since data are available. In turn, he added that August or January, after the Christmas holidays, are also critical months.
Thus, he explained in the summer there is greater risk because “it is the months where there is greater coexistence” and, in the cases of women who may be suffering gender violence, “there is greater continuity in the relationship of violence, because there are not those pauses of when the woman can go to work, etc.” “Therefore, there is a greater risk that this violence may even be lethal,” he warned.