The Mayor of Totana, José Martínez Andreo, and Councilwoman Women and Equal Opportunities, Josefa María Sánchez Méndez, presented the document "Protocol for action in cases of gender violence in the town, which has been prepared by all professionals, social workers and Security Forces and the state of the municipality involved in these issues, which have been present at the event.
This protocol of action, set in the area of Violence against Women of the Second Plan for Equal Opportunities between women and men of Totana, with a period from 2007 to 2010, is conceived as reported by the mayor, as a instrument to serve as guidelines and coordinate actions by various professionals involved in the intervention of domestic violence in the town of Totana.
It is a document in which each actor involved (health sector, social, police) know what to do, when and who is competent to do so.
The objectives of this protocol in cases of domestic violence, as explained Totana Mayor, are to provide comprehensive care as effective as possible for victims of gender violence in the town of Totana, to achieve adequate and optimal use of all social resources to ensure that victims do not feel alone and helpless at any time and determine the basic criteria documented coordination between all institutions in the interest of full effectiveness in joint action, and to equip / stakeholders as / as a practical document, among others.
Therefore, this document was created with the aim of establishing guidelines for action to cases of violence against women, aimed at professionals in contact with victims.
It is a tool for facilitating proper coordination between social agents such as the Department of Women and Equal Opportunities, Health Services, Security Forces and Social Services, among others, as well as to achieve an adequate and optimal use of existing resources and comprehensive care, quickly and effectively to the victim.
City Councilman explained that is made with the consensus of the various local institutions that have responsibility for the care and support to victims of domestic violence: Women and Equality Department, Center for Attention to Women Victims of Violence Against Women, Services Social, Local Police, Guardia Civil, Centro de Salud, Cruz Roja de Totana, among others.
The document contains an index, being the most prominent point three, as it summarizes the actions of all agencies involved in violence, also accompanied by a general outline that includes the procedure for action and a transfer scheme and accommodation for women victims of gender violence in Totana.
In short, it is clarified and summarized through these schemes how each agency acts in certain situations.
In addition to ensuring the smooth operation of this protocol, the mayor stressed that he will be under constant review, so you can keep up.
And this creates a Monitoring Committee every four months to assess how it has worked the protocol and its actions, rising an annual performance report of the commission to the / as responsible for each area.
Also, the mayor said that the work of monitoring and updating will fall in the Department of Women and Equal Opportunities.
And finally, at the rate seven annexes that appear throughout the protocol explained its function, and that have led to the goal that all people who read this document to become familiar with working attachments with different professionals.
Women Councilwoman thanked the mayor their support to "keep working in the same direction as we have done since this council, as the Town Council of Totana, in coordination with other governments and private organizations have been working on the development of actions to prevent through education and public awareness of domestic violence situations and help victims.
He also said that "violence against women, and continues to be one of the main obstacles to the coexistence and development of societies, remains one of the main challenges of democratic societies because it is a phenomenon that affects not only the physical and psychological integrity of women, but also the very recognition of their dignity. "
In this regard, as Local Government said "we are obliged to engage the most in the struggle for the eradication of violence against women, always within our competence framework."
Finally, city officials expressed their sincere hope that "this protocol will serve to provide an effective response to situations of gender violence in the town of Totana" and welcomed the involvement of professionals who have participated in the preparation of this document and involved at all times with women victims of gender violence.
