Fiestas at the centre of campaign against sexual assault

Fiestas are to be the focus for posters against sexual abuse. | Josep Bagur Gomila

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma12/08/2016 00:00

As reported in Wednesday's Bulletin as part of the response to the appalling death of the Alcudia woman set alight by her partner, the Council of Majorca is rolling out a campaign designed to stop "sexual assaults", which might be the first step to ultimate gender violence. The director-general for equality, Nina Parrón, said that there would be posters for this campaign at fiestas, and she has revealed a new slogan for this: "For fiesta, Majorca free of sexist aggression. No, and that's that!"

Fiestas, she stresses, should be occasions for everyone to have fun and not to be ones for touching and attempted sexual assaults, which are "incompatible with egalitarian societies". Drink should not be an excuse for lowering inhibitions and sexual aggression, and the Council plans to take the message "to every corner" of the island.

Parrón adds that there needs to be a change in society's mentality. This, she says, will not take a month or a year. It is something that needs to get under the skin of the whole of Majorca.

Lucia Segura, her counterpart in Palma, where there already is a campaign, says that everyone - men and women - should be able to enjoy events like fiesta night parties without there being sexual violence. Strategies and the means need to be developed, therefore, in order prevent such conduct. "We want to inspire a debate by government institutions and others regarding this type of male violence."