The Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, through the Comprehensive Service for Women's Care (SIAM), has developed during the San Ginés festivities an action for prevention of sexual assaults and harassment situations aimed at the staff of the stalls and itinerant vendors in the fairground.
The action, carried out by Cabildo staff in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare, Equality, and Immigration of the Arrecife City Council, consisted of 20 informational pills given by SIAM technicians, focused on the guidelines provided in the protocol for action in situations of sexual assault and harassment in festive contexts. The action also included the distribution of preventive and awareness-raising posters.
The counselor for Social Welfare, Inclusion, and Equality of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Marci Acuña, explains that “with this initiative we wanted the people working in the stalls to have practical information to know how to identify a possible situation of harassment or sexual assault, to know how they should act and to offer an adequate first response”.
Acuña especially thanks “the collaboration of the staff of the stalls and itinerant vendors, who from the first moment showed themselves to be very receptive, participatory, and willing to learn the guidelines for action”. “They are people who are in direct contact with those who are enjoying the festivities and their ability to detect a risk situation can be very important,” he adds.
The action also included the Violet Point managed by Mararía and staff from the 24-hour Crisis Center for the attention of victims of sexual violence.
‘If there is aggression, there is no fun’
The performance is part of the island campaign ‘If there is aggression, there is no fun. For parties free of sexist violence’, developed by the SIAM since 2025. Within this framework, personnel from event organization, violet points, social services, educational centers, State Security Forces and Corps, Local Police, and other agents related to the detection and action against sexual assaults and sexist violence in festive spaces have been trained.
During the parties, preventive material has also been distributed through the Violet Points, including cups with lids to prevent drink tampering, bracelets for substance detection, condoms, and specific information on consent and prevention of sexual violence.
“We want prevention to also reach those who are on the ground during the parties. Information, coordination, and knowing how to act in a specific situation are essential tools to adequately protect and assist a potential victim,” concludes Marci Acuña.
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