The director of the Canary Islands Institute for Equality (ICI), Kika Fumero, has called for an investigation into the hotel in Lanzarote where "an attempted rape" of a worker by a client was recorded, a British tourist who has already been convicted of a crime of sexual abuse in the degree of attempt.
According to Fumero, her department has already contacted the General Directorate of Labor, with whom they have an agreement, to carry out an inspection of the establishment "and investigate whether it complies with the provisions regarding the Equality plan and protocol".
The director of the ICI considers the complaint filed by the Feminist Platform 8M and the association of cleaning ladies Las Kellys regarding "the neglect" experienced by the employee by the people responsible for her workplace after the reported abuse to be of "extreme seriousness" and has stated that "this case is clear evidence that the prevention and protection of women in their workplaces must be improved, as well as the training of employers".
"They did not help her at all"
According to both associations, when the 20-year-old girl asked her superiors for help after what happened, "they did not help her at all, they did not call a doctor, they did not call the police" and "far from it, they assigned her more work near the room where the crime was committed". "They didn't believe her," they criticized this Tuesday when making the sentence public.
In that ruling, it is declared proven that at approximately 12:30 p.m. on August 10, when the victim was performing cleaning duties, the client occupying that room "approached her and, with the intention of satisfying his sexual desires and without her consent, showed her a text message on his mobile phone that said '59 euros to have sexual relations'". Furthermore, he adds that "he insisted on it" and even grabbed her arm, until finally the victim "was able to leave" the room. After a quick trial was held in which the accused admitted the facts, he was fined approximately 2,000 euros, as well as a restraining order prohibiting him from approaching the victim.
"This case cannot remain in the shadows. We will do everything in our power to ensure that workers feel their rights, both human and professional, are supported, and to ensure that situations like these do not happen again," they now say from the Canary Islands Institute for Equality, which wants to clarify what the actions of those responsible for the establishment were after what happened.
Plans and programs underway
In a statement, the ICI recalls that currently both this Institute and the General Directorate of Labor of the Government of the Canary Islands "have several common programs underway, such as the Canary Islands Lilac Mailbox for labor equality in the Islands, a digital tool that enables the collection of citizen communications on discrimination related to inequality between men and women in the workplace, for immediate transfer to the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate (Ministry of Employment and Social Security) and whose purpose is to promote the corresponding inspection actions".
"This tool has been implemented on the website of the Canary Islands Institute for Equality and is specified in a free access form, anonymous in nature and with automated sending, with the intention of providing maximum facilities when informing the Administration of any situation of discrimination," they specify.
In addition, they emphasize that the Equality plans in companies, whose definition is included in article 46 of Organic Law 3/2007, of March 22 for effective equality between women and men, "must be measures aimed at achieving equal treatment and opportunities in the company, as well as eliminating discrimination based on sex, and a firm commitment is made to reconciling family and work life, and preventing sexual harassment and harassment based on gender".
