The local police have published the statistics for victims of domestic violence in Calasparra over the eleven months and appealed to any victims to report the crime.
Participating in a special programme to mark the International Day Against Domestic Violence on Radio Calasparra the local police chief, Miguel Angel Martinez, announced an increase in the number of victims of domestic violence reports in our area to 15 between January and November of this year.
He said: “It is important that the victim reports the aggression to the police so we can act and prevent the situation worsening, not only for the victim but for the children of the family who may duplícate the abuse later in life.”
He went on to say there had been an increase in reporting domestic violence locally which may be due to raised awareness among victims of the need to report aggession to the police.
“Victims must know they are not alone and that there are resources to help them escape from the situation,” said the Head of the local Department of Equality, Alfonsa Egea.
The main resource for the victims of domestic violence is CAVI (the region la centre for the victims of DV), which has assisted 628 women since 2006. Only this year 79 victims have received help from the organisation, of which 12 were from Calasparra.
Juana Martínez Sánchez, from CAVI, told listeners of Radio Calasparra that “each case that comes along is unique and each woman has a history behind them that we need to understand and manage with total respect and empathy.”
She reminded listeners that it was not necessary to make an appointment for the centre. The phone number for CAVI is 968 72 22 22. Or you can see a CAVI counsellor at the Centro Sociocultural Barrio Nuevo Pozo, any Thursday morning.
The traditional homage to victims of DV, when candles are lit in the Plaza de la Corredera, was postponed due to the rain and will be held, weather permitting, this Sunday at 12.30pm.
