The San Bartolomé Town Council, in collaboration with Doctors of the World and the Canarian Association Women without Shadow, today inaugurated the II Sexual Violence Conference, themed “The Silence of Double Violence.” This meeting aims to raise awareness and address the issues of sexual violence faced by women with disabilities in Lanzarote. The event coincides with the International Day Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, which is commemorated on 23rd September.

Event Details

The conference, held at the Playa Honda Civic Centre, brought together professionals from health, psychology, education, law, and social services, along with family members and survivor testimonies. The inaugural event was attended by the Mayor of San Bartolomé, Isidro Pérez, the Councillor for Equality and Youth, Mónica de León, and the General Director of Disability at the Government of the Canary Islands, Dulce Maria Gutiérrez González, in addition to representatives from various island associations.

Commitment to Equality

Mayor Isidro Pérez emphasised that “these conferences remind us that prevention, awareness, and support must be the cornerstones of any municipal policy on equality,” reaffirming his commitment to “continue working together to make San Bartolomé a territory where the defence of every woman is not an option, but an irrefutable principle.”

Building Safe Spaces

For her part, Councillor Mónica de León stated that “today we demonstrate that local administrations, alongside social entities and citizens, can build spaces for listening and transformation, creating alliances to ensure that our municipality is a safe and inclusive space.”