Following a visit to Espaço Júlia in Lisbon, a support center for victims of domestic violence, Inês de Sousa Real advocated for the establishment of more shelters for victims of this crime. She emphasized that many victims “continue to stay at home because they lack spaces where they can be accommodated.”
The leader of the PAN party also expressed concern about “the disinformation and culture of hate being spread on social media” and the “challenges this poses to ensure that new generations do not regress in combating violence and inequality, particularly gender inequality.”
“We have to work together as a society, with various stakeholders, to create new societal benchmarks,” stated Inês de Sousa Real. “This is why today we see public figures lending their voices to this cause. Domestic violence needs responses and a cross-party commitment.” She was joined in this campaign effort by rapper NBC and Vula Tsetsi, vice-president of the European Green Party (PVE).
Inês de Sousa Real urged that the discussion of this topic should not devolve into an “ideological battlefield in parliament” but should instead work towards a “national commitment from everyone to give voice to the victims” and to fight the statistics of this crime in Portugal.
The PAN leader proposed several measures to combat domestic violence, such as extending the statute of limitations for complaints and implementing solutions beyond legislation, including “public policies that provide greater proximity and support to the victim.”
When questioned about whether there has been a lack of political will in parliament to address these victims, Sousa Real lamented that the debate is “mainly captured by the far-right,” focusing on proposals like chemical castration instead of “a serious debate about the necessary public mechanisms and responses.”
“It is with great astonishment that we see the government following the far-right agenda and eliminating the ‘Right to Be’ guide from schools. We must not forget that supporting victims also involves addressing issues affecting LGBTQIA+ individuals, particularly the youth, and hence, we still have a long way to go,” she stressed.
In the context of Europe Day, Sousa Real also mentioned that the European debate is currently “very polarized” around issues such as Defense and energy sovereignty, urging for the inclusion of social rights and green transition in the discussions.
Greek Vula Tsetsi, vice-president of the European Greens, told journalists that despite Portugal being the first country to ratify the Istanbul Convention—an international treaty to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence—there are still numerous cases of domestic violence in the country.
Rapper NBC explained his involvement in the campaign as an act of solidarity with victims of violence, noting that everyone has “people close to them who suffer from violence.” He also shared that he has helped some victims seek support at Espaço Júlia and other locations.
“Inês [de Sousa Real] invited me, and I will always be present because I want my children, my mother, and my sisters to know that I strive to improve myself, ensuring that in any situation, I will be ready to say no,” he added.
