On Monday, hundreds gathered in Orihuela to protest against “machista violence” following the tragic murder of 15-year-old Cloe, allegedly by her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend. The march, which began at 7:30 PM from the Town Hall, saw participants from various political groups, except Vox, which had previously announced its absence.
Feminist groups, such as Sororidad and the Clara Campoamor Association, along with other organizations like Vega Baja Acoge and students from IES Gabriel Miró, participated. Leading the procession were the Councillor for Equality, Agustina Rodríguez (PP), and other members of the Municipal Equality Board, holding a banner that read “Strong, free and united against gender-based violence.”
As the march proceeded to the Glorieta, the harmonious music of the Unión Lírica Orcelitana played, contrasting with the powerful anti-machismo slogans from the crowd. The demonstration ended peacefully, where different groups displayed banners at the park next to the music bandstand.
Councillor Rodríguez, addressing the gathering, highlighted the growing issue of gender violence and the importance of a collective commitment from public administrations, social organizations, and citizens. She stressed the need to recognize gender violence as a social scourge affecting all sectors, emphasising the tackling of digital gender violence, substance abuse normalization, and widespread pornography consumption.
The manifesto, read by the Association of Women for the Third Millennium, pointed out the importance of identifying early signs of gender violence to prevent escalation. They highlighted that social exclusion exacerbates women’s exposure to violence, affecting their employment opportunities, economic independence, and social networks.
The manifesto also included demands for controlling pornographic content accessible to minors, implementing affective sexual education at all levels, increasing financial aid and psychological care for victims, and not tolerating sexist behaviour in media and social networks.
The event concluded with the reading the names of women killed this year by the Clara Campoamor Women’s Association and placing stickers with their names on a panel.
Meanwhile, a group from the Communist Party (PCPE) participated with banners addressing gender violence and other political issues. Despite initial disruptions, they were allowed to read their alternative manifesto after the official event concluded.
Vox’s Absence and Alternative Motion
Notably absent from the march, Vox proposed an alternative motion for the upcoming 25N plenary session, criticizing current gender violence policies. Vox argued that these policies unfairly prioritize violence in romantic relationships and do not adequately address domestic violence against other victims like daughters, mothers, and homosexual couples. They also criticized the Law of ‘Only yes is yes’, claiming it resulted in reduced sentences for many sexual aggressors.
Vox’s motion included three proposals: drafting a “Law on Domestic Violence” for all victims regardless of the aggressor’s gender, repealing discriminatory regulations like the Law on Gender Violence, and conducting an in-depth study on violence against women.
PSOE, in response, requested that Vox’s motion not be debated, accusing Vox of denying gender violence and using the plenary session to spread their political agenda. They called on other parties, especially the PP, to prevent the dissemination of far-right discourse in institutional spaces.
