The Head of the Coordination Unit against Violence against Women of the Government Delegation in Melilla, Laura Segura, has warned that summer months and vacation periods are moments of special risk in the fight against gender violence.
In an interview in the program ‘Viento de Levante’ of Television Melilla, he has assured that, in these dates, “gender violence increases, the number of complaints grows and also the murders of women, so prevention, detection and coordination are fundamental”.
Segura recalled that the involvement of the whole society is key: “We have to keep an eye on those people we can have around and who may be suffering violence.” “It’s not enough for the victim to act; we must all get involved,” he said.
With regard to the recent data, the Head of the Unit pointed out that, although the second quarter of the year has registered a slight decrease in complaints and calls to 016, the general balance shows an increase. “When we say that complaints are increasing, it does not mean that the situation is positive, because they are women who suffer violence. But it does indicate that there is more verbalization and more confidence in the institutions to ask for help,” he explained.
The Head of the Unit recalled that, according to statistics, only between 25% and 30% of women who suffer violence report it. “The increase in complaints means that more women dare to take the step. And that is fundamental, because the denunciation opens the door to effective protection and available resources,” he added.
At the national eremu level, the number of complaints has risen from about 166,000 per year by 2020 to 199,000 in 2023-2024, the highest increase recorded. This increase, he explained, “goes hand in hand with a reduction in the number of women killed, which shows that public policies and prevention measures are working, although any mortal victim is unacceptable.”
A structural violence with many forms
Segura has stressed that gender-based violence is structural and must be combated in all its manifestations. Thus, he cited the 2019 macrosurvey, which reveals that “one in two women in our country suffers from some situation of violence”. In addition to the violence exercised in the area of the couple or ex-couple, the person responsible has recalled that there are other forms such as economic violence, vicarious violence and digital violence.
Regarding the latter, he has warned of a “worrying and alarming increase” in aggressions through social networks and the Internet, especially among young people. “73% of female social media users have experienced some form of digital violence, and 48% of young girls have received sexual requests or images of unsolicited sexual content. This needs to be worked on all year round, not just in summer,” he said.
In this sense, the Ministry of Equality has launched the campaign ‘Digital violence .es violence’. “It is a successful campaign because the control, harassment and aggressions in the online space have been normalized, and we must do pedagogy, especially with young boys, so that they learn to relate equally in the digital sphere,” he stressed.
Not only that, Segura has echoed the progress of denial speeches among male teenagers. “One in four children under the age of 24 believes that gender-based violence is an invention. That’s very worrying, because those guys are going to have couple relationships with girls who do value equality and feminism as something that saves lives,” he warned.
The Fair, a safe space
For the Fair, the Government Delegation will install violet dots in all the stands and public spaces of the fairground. These places will be identified with signage and QR codes that link to guides with information on how to act in cases of violence.
“We want any woman who needs it to know that she will find accompaniment there. It is an instrument for raising awareness so that society understands that this is not just a problem for the victims,” he explained.
The initiative has the collaboration of caseteros and caseteras, which place the badges in visible places. “Our message is not one of fear, but of prevention and shared responsibility. The fair must be enjoyed in freedom and equality, and without violence against women,” he stressed.
Protection for more women
Finally, during the interview, the situation of the protection of women victims of gender violence has been addressed. Thus, according to the data provided by the Head of the Unit, currently, about 240 women are included in the VioGén system in our city, compared to 160 in 2019.
This increase is due, in part, to the improvement of protocols such as the “zero protocol” and the implementation of VioGen 2.0, which allows a more exhaustive follow-up of persistent abusers and cases with multiple victims or aggressors.
“The number of protected women should not alarm us on its own. It reflects that more is being reported and that we have improved detection and care. In addition, most of the victims are mothers, which means that many minors are also under protection,” said Segura.
The VioGén system covers only violence in the area of the couple or former couple, although work is being done on the implementation of the VioSex system, similar but focused on sexual violence.
To close the interview, Segura has sent a clear message: “The burden of the complaint cannot fall on the victims alone. The whole society must accompany them, protect them and point the finger at the aggressors. They are not alone; the ones who must be alone are the abusers.” “Getting out of the violence is possible and there are resources to accompany the whole process,” he stressed.