Alerting young minds to gender-based violence

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TALKS: Equality and Education Councillor Belen Martinez and psychologist Virtudes Hernandez talk to youngsters about violence in adolescence.

ACTIVITIES have already started in Huercal-Overa to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women on November 25.

The programme of events under the slogan Facing Gender-based Violence: Union… the Solution, began on Monday morning with the first of the Prevention Days aimed at secondary school age children to alert them to the different types of violence which can affect adolescents.

Equality and Education Councillor Belen Martinez joined students for a talk by psychologist Virtudes Hernandez about how to deal with violence and what they could do.

“The youngsters were very involved the whole time and above all you see they are very aware of the gender-based violence problem”, the councillor commented.

“It is important to educate our children and teenagers about equality to prevent there being cases of gender-based violence, not only among adults, but also among children, adolescents and young people.”

Later in the day the educational initiative Violence at a Click aimed at primary and infant school children also got underway.

Next Monday November 19 the exhibition Letters against Gender-based Violence will open at the municipal library, and the following day there will be storytelling for juniors and infants based on the anti-violence against women theme at the Villa Theatre, entitled Scheherezade’s Secret.

Events aimed at raising awareness about gender-based violence will then continue December 1.

“We have designed the programme taking into account the aim of educating our young people about the importance of eradicating gender-based violence and sexist attitudes in relationships”, Belen Martinez commented.

“Our children and young people are the key piece in the elimination of this kind of violence. Education if fundamental for this, and hence the Government team wanted them to be the main focus of these activities.”

The councillor continued, “Huercal-Overa again says no to gender-based violence, and we do so united, listening to the voices of children and teenagers, and the different groups we work with to eradicate this social scourge.”