The November 25 campaign will emphasize that male violence is everyone's responsibility

Violence against women is not just a problem for women who suffer violence, but for society as a whole, an axiom that will be highlighted this year's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

"It's not just your problem, it's ours," says the slogan of the campaign presented by Emakunde, the Member States of Parliament of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa and Eudel on 25 November.

They recall that the 2024 "Survey on Violence against Women and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence" conducted for 4,500 women in the CSC revealed that one in two women between the ages of 16 and 85 residing in the Basque Country (48.2 per cent) have ever experienced some form of violence, whether in a partner or outside the couple.

For this reason, the director ofEmakunde, Mira Elgarresta, has stressed the importance of having an "active and aware" society. In view of the difficulties faced by women victims of male violence in dealing with the structural problem, Elgarresta believes that it is up to society to "respond, help, understand and believe; society must feel that this is not a personal problem for women, but a social problem."

The head of Emakunde has ensured that the involvement of institutions, the media and society as a whole is necessary because, "regardless of the dimension of the problem, it is often hidden and more normalized than expected", violence against women. 

The campaign will take place from today until 25 November on television, radio, written press, social media and other advertising media. Supporting the motto, you will see a group of people supporting and supporting a victim of violence, reminding them that in order to avoid the "normalization" of male violence, the whole society must be activated.

Importance of nearby circles

The President of Eudel, Esther Apraiz, has stressed the importance of municipalities in this task, "Municipalities are key to guiding communities that take care and mobilize against male violence," she said, adding that "ties between neighbors, friends and the immediate surroundings" are the first protection, the first to detect signs of violence and to provide support.

The Memberof Parliament for Equality, Euskera and Governance of the Provincial Council of Álava, Iñaki Gurtubai, has called for social co-responsibility, while stressing the need to strengthen community networks and create safe environments.  "We must promote spaces where people feel heard and protected.

TheDirector of Equality of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Trinidad Vicente, has stressed that male violence is a "collective scourge" and that it is women and their children who suffer the consequences of it: "Every time we do not deal with male violence, we get worse. We cannot remain indifferent."