Adeje’s council department of equality, under councillor Desiderio Afonso Ruiz, has released details of the latest updates to information and resources available in the fight against domestic violence prior to the marking of November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Among additional resources has been the translation of the content of the council’s help page for women who may be suffering from domestic violence into English. The page is called ‘Cuenta conmigo, cuento contigo’ (count on me, I’m counting on you), and contains details of where sufferers of domestic and gender violence can go for help, legal and financial assistance.
According to the councillor, “Adeje council is working 365 days a year in this fight against gender and domestic violence. We continue to offer specialised courses to staff in our own administration who may be dealing directly with victims, including the Policia Local. We also offer workshops, training sessions etc., for the general population. It is also part of our overall policy that personnel in all departments are trained and aware of the perspectives needed in dealing with those who are victims in this regard. Let us not forget that domestic violence is the maximum expression of a patriarchal society with its roots in machismo.”
The council has acquired rights to an audio-visual course in self-defence for women in collaboration with Club Daruma which bases its training on potential real-life situations, how to prevent possible attacks, how to react if they do happen. The course is free online via the council webpage,
www.adeje.es, registration is required.
Another part of the overall resources offer is the radio programme ‘Déjate de cuentos’ on Radio Sur every week, and available as a podcast on Spotify and Ivoox. There will be a special one-hour programme this week on Wednesday from 1pm which will deal with issues concerning women who find themselves in a domestic violence situation, focus on the children who are so often caught up in these tragic situations, and also find out the situation of women who are disabled and may find themselves victims of domestic violence and the resources available.
As in previous years students from the boroughs’ secondary schools have also submitted short stories as part of the annual competition, with winners to be announced and prizes given later this week, where we will also find out who has won the annual art competition that is held at this time too.
On Thursday, November 25th, at 12 noon, there will be an institutional gathering on the steps of the town hall where the authorities will read a manifesto underlining their rejection of all forms of domestic and gender violence and recommit themselves to providing help to victims of such violence. Later that same day the Adeje Equality Council and the 8M Sur feminist platform, will be gathering at 7pm in the Plaza Tierra Lavada.
