https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/women-if-you-are-the-victim-of-any-crime-or-harassment-on-the-camino.42721/
Members of the Forum will remember the above thread with this title which caused some heat a little while ago. I’d like to report on events since then.
First of all may I say that the intention of the original post was not to be gratuitously critical of the Spanish police or judicial system. It was in many ways a plea that we all take the issue of female pilgrims being harassed more seriously. The debate on the Forum opened the discussion on a number of other fronts.
The matter was raised with the National Police who were swift in saying that no matter any lacunas in the criminal code with respect to flashing and masturbating in public they have sufficient powers (not least under the child protection laws) to deal with individuals who harass female pilgrims in this way. They reiterate their encouragement to REPORT any such incidents to the police. Dialing 112 will give access to operators who speak English if this is required.
The police are even more aware now of concern in the pilgrim community about repeated reports in one or two areas along the Camino Frances and more recently on the Camino Ingles. I am sure we would all accept that they cannot patrol everywhere on the routes all of the time – however reporting as accurately as possible where incidents happen, giving a description of the perpetrator and for example details of car number plates would be very helpful.
Reporting any such incidents to the embassies of the home countries of pilgrims it seems is also welcome as in these times of cutbacks any pressure from whatever source to increase the resources of the police is welcome!
Secondly there is a Spanish doctoral student looking currently at the law around harassment of women in the workplace and more generally and she is very interested in following up the legal aspects of this issue.
The clear message is: if any pilgrim feels they are the target or victim of this kind of behavior they should report it immediately to the police – ask to speak with someone who speaks English if necessary. Also please email your embassy to also report what has happened.
Members of the Forum will remember the above thread with this title which caused some heat a little while ago. I’d like to report on events since then.
First of all may I say that the intention of the original post was not to be gratuitously critical of the Spanish police or judicial system. It was in many ways a plea that we all take the issue of female pilgrims being harassed more seriously. The debate on the Forum opened the discussion on a number of other fronts.
The matter was raised with the National Police who were swift in saying that no matter any lacunas in the criminal code with respect to flashing and masturbating in public they have sufficient powers (not least under the child protection laws) to deal with individuals who harass female pilgrims in this way. They reiterate their encouragement to REPORT any such incidents to the police. Dialing 112 will give access to operators who speak English if this is required.
The police are even more aware now of concern in the pilgrim community about repeated reports in one or two areas along the Camino Frances and more recently on the Camino Ingles. I am sure we would all accept that they cannot patrol everywhere on the routes all of the time – however reporting as accurately as possible where incidents happen, giving a description of the perpetrator and for example details of car number plates would be very helpful.
Reporting any such incidents to the embassies of the home countries of pilgrims it seems is also welcome as in these times of cutbacks any pressure from whatever source to increase the resources of the police is welcome!
Secondly there is a Spanish doctoral student looking currently at the law around harassment of women in the workplace and more generally and she is very interested in following up the legal aspects of this issue.
The clear message is: if any pilgrim feels they are the target or victim of this kind of behavior they should report it immediately to the police – ask to speak with someone who speaks English if necessary. Also please email your embassy to also report what has happened.