More training and better Lilac Points: the Government reinforces the prevention of sexual violence

The Government of the Generalitat has launched a set of training actions to improve the prevention of sexual violence in nightlife. With the arrival of summer and the increase in concerts and major festivals, the Government has reinforced the prevention strategies available in the municipalities. So far, more than 200 people from 170 different municipalities have joined this Government initiative.

Improving the prevention of sexual violence. What are the trainings like?

The trainings for the prevention of sexual violence in nightlife have been held throughout July and already have several editions throughout the country. If demand from municipalities is maintained, the possibility of scheduling additional sessions in September is foreseen.

Regarding the trainings, they are structured into three blocks; the first block provides an approach to sexist violence in nightlife spaces and possible prevention and action strategies, among which are the so-called Lilac Points.

The trainings have been held during the month of July and already have several editions throughout the country

Finally, the third block places special emphasis on the intervention circuits and the coordination of the different agents involved in the response to sexual violence in nightlife spaces. The different roles and tasks of each member of the intervention circuits are worked on, both those who carry out the necessary preventive awareness and those who have to act in case of aggression.

The challenge of networking and knowing how to adapt it to the needs of each territory

Each of the three content blocks corresponds to a training session. The first two blocks are in online format and the third is done in person. In addition, to adequately adapt the trainings to each context, the students of the different sessions have been grouped by territories. This aims to promote networking among municipalities, a network in which the specific needs of the smallest municipalities or micro-towns of Catalonia have been taken into account, which often face different challenges than those of large population centers.

National Strategic Plan for the Prevention of Male Chauvinist Violence

The training sessions for the prevention of sexual violence in nightlife are part of the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention of Male Chauvinist Violence that the Government plans to present during the first quarter of 2023. One of its负责人 is the deputy director of Awareness and Prevention of the Department of Equality and Feminisms, Rubén Sánchez Ruiz. In his words, he explains the objective of the training sessions: "We wanted to strengthen networking and promote community co-responsibility in the face of violence. By "co-responsibility" we mean the shared responsibility that institutions and society have to prevent sexual violence. That is why we are committed to training technical staff and providing local entities and organizations with tools as specific as they are necessary for addressing sexual and male chauvinist violence. We cannot leave them alone; the response to this challenge can only be communal, and this is our commitment."

What is a Lila Point?

A Lila Point is a safety space for the prevention of harassment, abuse, and sexual and male chauvinist aggressions in public spaces. The Lila Point is also the first place of reference, advice, and action in case any type of male chauvinist violence occurs in a leisure space. With the arrival of summer, major festivals, and other events, Lila Points become a key tool on the front line of victim care. They are, therefore, a necessary space for public service, and as such, the Government of the Generalitat has wanted to reinforce them with the training of the personnel who manage them. The objective: nightlife free of violence.