A horrifying panorama

A MINUTE’S silence, condemning gender violence, was observed outside the Almeria headquarters of the Andalucia Institute for Women (IAM).

As well as Maria Montagud, IAM’s director in Almeri, the silent protest was attended by Rafael Pasamontes –  the Junta’s delegate for Equality, Social Policies and Conciliation – and Mercedes Gimenez, the IAM’s service chief.

Between them, they displayed a banner declaring, “Andalucia against sexist violence.”

Speaking after the minute’s silence, Montagud censured the repeated cases of gender violence.  “The current panorama is horrifying,” she lamented.

“This is the fourth consecutive week that we have come out to condemn gender violence, weeks that have taken the lives of 11 women and a child of seven,” Montagud declared.

She also referred to other situations, like the investigation of the sexist killing of a 17-year-old in Sevilla whose body was found following a statement from her aggressor.

Inevitably, the IAM director referred to discovery at sea in Tenerife of the body of six-year-old Olivia who, together with her sister Anna, aged one, disappeared with their father at the end of April.

“That mother has been waiting for 40 days for her daughters and now she has had this terrible outcome,” Montagud said.