Domestic violence - violencia de genero - because you never know ...

[Janet]

We never know what goes on behind closed doors, so just in case this might benefit someone reading ChalkCat ...

National and regional health and police authorities are united this morning in condemnation of the domestic violence whose latest victim is a 58-year-old British mother of four who lived in Santa Brigida, Gran Canaria. Spain's Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad says that it works alongside police to assist victims, but that we all need to unite over the issue.

The National Police say that we just have to call 091 and they will act. The MSSSI say call 016 – the domestic violence hotline. There is also THIS website – private and confidential, and secure – dedicated to the fight against violencia de genero in Spain. The Guardia Civil says it doesn't matter where or how it is denounced, you do not have to be the victim in person. The key word is Cuéntalo – Report it!

In this latest case, Jane Railton died in the Hospital Doctor Negrín on Tuesday where she was admitted on 21 July after being attacked by her partner. He is now remanded in custody in Salto del Negro prison awaiting trial. Tragically, local reports say that Jane had been the victim of similar violence from her ex-husband. Police say she is the thirtieth victim of domestic violence this year in Spain, the second in the Canaries.

(There is also more information and advice on my website HERE).

[Anne 2009]

The sad thing is, too many cases go unreported. With some victims too frightened to do anything about it.

[Janet]

Exactly so, because fear, and inability to take self-protecting action, are products of the loss of self-confidence and feeling of no right to self-determination that bullying produces. This is why, I think, the loudest drum that the police are banging is "cuentalo" ... anyone! They're encouraging us all, victims and friends and family, and wider society, to report anything we think of as domestic violence.

I have a personal story in this regard to show why the Únete (unite) and cuéntalo motifs are so needed. A week or so after we had moved up the hill we had a small dinner party and afterwards, before I had the dishwasher here, I spent some time getting hot and bothered washing and drying up. At some point I went outside, quick cigarette while I cooled down a bit ... but the garden was still unfinished and I tripped over a concrete reinforcing rod at the top of a slight banking. It caught in my trousers and I fell forwards, and because it was downhill, totally dark and unexpected, I couldn't save myself at all.

I fell flat on my nose, scraped my glasses ... laid there in shock for a few minutes and then got up to find myself covered in blood. I hadn't broken my nose but it was bleeding heavily, and my glasses, scratched beyond recovery, had really hurt the bone around my eyes. The next morning, in addition, it became very clear that I'd broken a rib ...

I was cut and bruised, black-eyed, and could hardly move ... and several people gave me very sympathetic looks. One even said "do you have anything to tell me? if there's anything I can do just let me know ... " ... but the police never came. Everyone in our new village, who didn't know Perikles from Adam, thought or suspected that I'd been beaten up, but no-one told the police. They should have, even though physical violence from Perikles is as unlikely as ... whatever the simile is for the most unlikely thing imaginable!!

[El Profesor]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  even though physical violence from Perikles is as unlikely as ... whatever the simile is for the most unlikely thing imaginable!!

.
Take your pick  . . . . . from Frank J. Wilstach's   A Dictionary of Similes.  1916.

Unlikely

  Unlikely as that a mouse should fall in love with a cat.
            —
  Unlikely as that the wolf is to eat the moon.
            —
  Unlikely as sweet fruit plucked from a dry tree, or sweet leaves on a dead stem.
            —
  Unlikely ... as to teach an alligator the polka.
            —
  Unlikely as that a moth intends to be burnt when it flies into a candle flame.
            —
  Unlikely as to see a hog fly.
           

[Nova]

As unlikely as him asking you to buy Christmas-themed cushions