Alicante Council to Debate Gender Violence Prevention Programme

The Socialist Municipal Group has strongly criticised the decision by Carlos Mazón's Consell to alter the operation of the Equality Units in municipal Social Services, which they claim represents a "substantial cut" in local policies for the prevention and care against gender violence.

The PSOE points out that the new decree proposed by the Generalitat removes the requirement for municipalities to develop specific programmes for the detection and prevention of gender violence. They also warn that the structural programme previously implemented by these units, known as the Gender Violence Prevention Programme and other violence against women, is being eliminated.

Socialist councillor Victoria Melgosa was emphatic: "The PP takes another step towards denying gender violence. This decision entails a cut in rights that directly affects the possibility for women to live free from violence." She also lamented that Mayor Barcala's government team "feels comfortable with policies that dismantle historic feminist advances."

Melgosa highlighted the importance of prevention from primary social care services, as this is where the first signs of violence are often detected: "If we do not work on prevention, we will always be too late."

In this scenario, the Socialist Municipal Group has registered an initiative for debate in the upcoming May plenary session. In it, they ask the Consell to reverse its decision and maintain the current competencies of the Equality Units, as well as the continuation of the abolished programme.

Furthermore, the socialists demand the reinstatement of the Equality Department as a specific area within the municipal structure, with adequate budget allocation, and request that the feminist perspective be incorporated transversally in all the policies of the Alicante City Council.

They recall that the functions of these units include the detection of gender violence and other sexual violence, the referral of victims to specialised resources, coordination with regional services, participation in local protection plans, and the implementation of awareness and training campaigns.

From the PSOE insist that eliminating these tools represents a setback in the fight for equality and the eradication of gender violence at the local level.