The Viogenex Group held on Thursday, the 20th, a quarterly meeting. It is essential to monitor cases of gender violence among the foreign population living in Mijas. This working team includes Foreigners and Equality Departments’ members, Guardia Civil, Local Police, Red Cross, Lions Club, and Soroptimist International. All these areas offer resources for the care and protection of victims. “New ideas and projects are always coming up, and in situations of new cases of male violence or a follow-up. They are windows that help these people to move forward with a normal life and, if possible, by joining the labour market”, said the Foreigners’ Councillor of Mijas Town Hall, Arancha López (Cs).

Meanwhile, the Councillor for Equality and Diversity of Mijas Town Council, Natalia Martínez (PSOE), recalled that the Women’s Centre has social workers, psychologists and legal advisors “who accompany these women when necessary and refer cases to other competent administrations. In Mijas and Malaga, we have a significant shelter network managed by the Junta de Andalucía. Women who are in a total protection situation must go there as established in the protocol”.  

Cooperation of groups The Mijas Town Hall highlighted the support of social associations with a presence in the municipality, such as the Lions Club. They collaborate financially in the initial stages of the victims’ care, “when they go to the Guardia Civil and need to stay in a hotel for the night, or also to cover the costs of their children”, explained Anita Humphrey, a member of this group. 

Similarly, the teleassistance service offered by the Red Cross, named Atenpro, is equally important. Thanks to this service, the foreign victim receives psychological care almost immediately, “whether in English, Arabic, Ukrainian or Russian. It is a service that is growing steadily but proves necessary to guarantee the follow-up of foreign women who are experiencing a gender violence problem,” said Carmen Jurado, head of the Women’s Department of the Red Cross in Malaga. These meetings have been taking place at the La Cala Cultural Centre every trimester since the end of 2016.

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