Minute's silence for murder victim

Speaking outside Palma City Hall, the Central Government Delegate in the Balearics, Ramón Socías, urged society “not to turn a blind eye” on domestic violence which has already led to tragedies of this nature both in the Balearics and the rest of Spain.

Socías was accompanied yesterday by Palma's Mayor Mateo Isern and senior members of both his ruling Partido Popular team and of the Opposition.
The public at large, said Socías, have a role to play in helping stamp out the scourge of domestic violence. “It helps no one to be aware of cases of abuse and not do anything about it. “People shouldn't think that problems of violence between a couple are limited just to that particular family,” Socías pointed out, adding “it is also unwise of women to believe that abuse is something that happens as an isolated incident.” He claimed: “Despite the efforts of the forces of law and order to protect the innocent, there are still people who are prepared to perpetrate such crimes.” Socías suggested that for those caught in the spiral of a degenerating relationship, a less dramatic way of terminating it needs to be sought “before it is too late.” He said that both regional and national governments are committed to involving social institutions in recognising and supporting victims of domestic violence. “It shouldn't be a matter for the police alone,” he said.

Silvia Cano, the Socialist's Secretary for Equality said that the most effective way of stopping domestic violence in its tracks is for the victim to denounce her aggressor.

Women , she said, can't afford to let their guard drop against sexist violence and that if the need arises to take action, such women can rest assured that there are legal measures in place to protect them.