The rural environment of Aragon will receive 1,219,000 million euros for the care of victims of gender violence, awareness programs and training activities. These funds are managed by the regions and are financed in almost equal parts between the State Pact and the Aragonese Institute for Women.
Their distribution has been addressed this Friday at the Provincial Commission for Coordination against Gender Violence. Before it, the president of the Court of Zaragoza, Alfonso Ballestín, wanted to highlight the new State Pact which, in his opinion, improves on the previous one because «it increases funds by 50%» and better controls the destination of this money.
MORE RESOURCES FOR CARE IN THE VILLAGES
With these funds «we are attending in a fairly satisfactory way both in legal, psychological and social advice and family therapy,» said Ballestín, who highlights that thanks to this program these needs are covered «almost equally» as in large cities. Other destinations are the creation of violet points in towns with more than 1,500 inhabitants or training programs.
The president of the Zaragoza Court has commented that complaints of gender violence are increasing in rural areas, although he attributes it to the fact that «victims feel more protected» rather than to an alleged increase in cases. «Important disclosure has been made so that victims can feel protected from the beginning and that the fear of reporting that they previously had is avoided,» he said.
THE COURT WANTS TO IMPLEMENT THE BARNAHAUS HOUSES IN ZARAGOZA
Another issue that has been addressed in the Commission is the expansion of the Barnahaus Houses. This care model is designed for child victims of sexual violence and has all the necessary professionals so that they can be fully cared for in the same place.
Its mission, as shared by the president of the Court of Zaragoza, is to avoid «the revictimization» that means for minors the fact of going «first to the police station, then going to the psychologist, then to the forensic doctor, then to testify in court…». This space «independent of police stations and hospitals» allows that with just an initial story it is attended by all professionals and create «the pre-constituted evidence» for the courts to assess.
This appeal is already in Catalonia, Madrid and the Canary Islands, and now the Provincial Court wants to transfer it to Zaragoza. However, Ballestín shared that there are no deadlines for its implementation because «it depends on this idea taking hold in the Government of Aragon, assuming the costs and putting it into practice, even with European aid».
