On September 17, the municipal conference against human trafficking and sexual exploitation took place at the CA UNED Dénia.
The conference, promoted by the City Council of Dénia with the collaboration of CA UNED Dénia, was opened by Mr. Javier Scotto di Tella Manresa, Councilor for Citizen Security, Equality and Diversity of the MI City Council of Dénia and Dª. Raquel Martí Signes, Director of the Center Associated to the UNED of Dénia. The event was attended by Mr. Vicent Grimalt Boronat, Mayor of the MI City Council of Dénia.
D. Javier Scotto, after welcoming, stressed that this was “A day for reflection and knowledge and, above all, the visibility of the current situation of sexual exploitation. The day revolves around the anniversary of next September 23 as well as the commitment, as a result of the conclusions of this day, to integrate Dénia, together with Xara and Jesús Pobre, to the Network of Cities Free of trafficking women, children and girls destined for prostitution that, unanimously by the Corporation, will be approved in the next plenary session. Thank you from here for the consensus and support of all municipal political groups for the approval of this
adhesion to the Network of Cities Free of trafficking in women, children and girls destined for prostitution ". D. Javier Scotto also emphasized that prostitution is another form of sexist violence against women, children and girls.
Then spoke Ms Raquel Martí Signes, Director of the Associated Center of the UNED Dénia, who thanked the attendees for their presence, and the local government of Dénia for the invitation to collaborate and participate in these conferences, as well as the people who went to carry out the different interventions "People of immense human and intellectual stature, because they dedicate their time, effort and intelligence to fight to eradicate human trafficking and exploitation" highlighting at the end of his presentation that “From the UNED we hope that these conferences will enlighten us and guide us on the path to raising awareness, dissemination and visibility of a hidden, deep-rooted and very serious problem that affects millions of people around the world and that Spain and our environment do not it is alien to these situations of violation of human rights of people " inviting “Eradicate trafficking, exploitation, slavery, prostitution and any form of violation of the inalienable rights of every human being”.
After the presentation and welcome, the first inaugural table was moderated by Esther Souto Galván, Professor of Law at UNED, with the participation of Ms. Mª Ángeles Espinosa Bayal, Associate Professor of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology at the Autonomous University of Madrid , Director of IUNDIA and Mr. Per-Anders Sunesson, Ambassador General of Sweden for the fight against human trafficking from 2016 to the present.
Mª Ángeles Espinosa emphasized at the end of her conference the UNICEF proposals: that the sons and daughters of trafficking victims are also considered victims, that they be identified as minors, that a registration, coordination and referral mechanism be created for victims of trafficking, that there are specific resources for child victims of trafficking and that there be specific training for professionals who will have contact with victims of trafficking under age.
Mr. Per-Anders Sunesson, after making a presentation and comparison between the different regulations of the different countries, especially Sweden, where the prostitute is not punished, but whoever hires prostitution is punished, a measure that has been proven be effective in reducing it, he wanted to emphasize that "Prostitution is the exploitation of the most vulnerable women, it is organized crime, it is something that we should not have in our society."
After the midday break, the closing table was moderated by Ms. Cristina Morera Vengut, Delegate Councilor for Equality and Inclusive Policies of the MI City Council of Dénia, with the participation of Ms. Verónica Gómez Huerga, National Police Inspector, Head of UFAM Group 1 of the Provincial Police Station of Alicante; Ms. Rosa Cobo Bedia, Professor of Gender Sociology at the University of A Coruña, Director of the Center for Gender and Feminist Studies at the University of A Coruña; and Ms. Amelia Tiganus, feminist activist, expert in sexual exploitation and prostitution survivor Ms. Verónica Gómez spoke about the work and actions of the National Police and commented that Spain is the first country in Europe in the consumption of prostitution, with increasing demand , and ranking second as the most lucrative illicit business and highlighted that "You cannot talk about trafficking for sexual exploitation without talking about gender."
For her part, Dª Rosa Cobo, made a very clear relationship between Neoliberal Capitalism and the increase in prostitution and trafficking in women, children and girls since “Prostitution is a development strategy for various countries and various areas of the world. (…) The industry of sexual exploitation has authors and the authors who write this script have benefits. "
In the last exhibition of the day, Ms. Amelia Tiganus stressed that “The patriarchy has managed to divide us
between the one and the other, the good and the bad, the whores and the saints, (…) when we talk about prostitution
It seems that we are always talking about 'the others' and we are not talking about 'the others', we are talking
of all of us. "
The conclusions of the day were made by Mr. Javier Scotto di Tella Manresa, Councilor for Citizen Security, Equality and Diversity of the MI City Council of Dénia; and Mr. Jaume Tortosa Amor, Secretary of the Associated Center of the UNED of Dénia, who commented that "The University has a moral and ethical obligation with respect to citizenship, we are not a bubble (...) we have to show society a debate that encourages such reprehensible practices to be eradicated (...) it is absolutely intolerable."
On September 26, the play will take place at the Teatre Auditori de Dénia "Segarem Ortigues with the tacons" by the Teatro del Contrahecho company as the closing ceremony of the conference.
