Mª Vicenta Mestre reminded that fighting against gender violence “is not an individual problem, nor a couple problem or a family problem but a social problem”. “We hold these conference since they are a way of understanding how today’s challenges must be fought off with dialogue, exchanges of ideas, science dissemination and a knowledge based on research” Mestre pointed out.

Ximo Puig stated that gender violence is a failure of society, “and that is why a fight against gender violence is a top priority for the Valencian Government, which has already taken some measures to stem that scourge”. President Puig wanted to thank the University due to its constant and work to achieve a real equality between men and women developed over time.

“Since 2003, 971 women have been murdered because of gender violence, a type of terrorism: home terrorism” reminded Manuel Dolz, the Spanish State Secretary for Justice in the Spanish Ministry of Justice. He asserted that conferences of this kind are threefold: they make the problem more noticeable, guide public policies, and raise people’s awareness.

Mª Elena Olmos, general secretary of the University; Adela Valero, vice-principal for Employment and Training Programmes; Elena Martínez, vice-principal for Equality, Diversity and Sustainability; and Mercedes Elizalde, Student delegate were also present in the opening.

Moreover, Juan Carlos Fulgencio, the Valencian Government Delegate; Gabriela Bravo, Valencian Minister of Justice, Democratic Reforms and Public Administration; Pilar de la Oliva, President of the Valencian High Court of Justice (TSJCV); and Maria Such, CEO of the Valencian Institute for Women and Gender Equality attended the event as well.  

The conference is organised under a collaborative framework between the Universitat de València and the Valencian Department of Justice, Democratic Reforms and Public Administration on behalf of the Valencian Government. The framework aims to analyse gender violence from a legal and gender-based perspective.

Women with extended careers on different sectoral scopes will take part in the sessions, in which they will critically analyse gender violence as one of the biggest social problems in today’s society from their practical experience. The problem will only be cleared up with a multidisciplinary and whole approach.

Conference will be closed today by Elena Martínez, vice-principal for Equality, Diversity and Sustainability; Gabriela Bravo, Valencian Minister of Justice, Democratic Reforms and Public Administration; and Teresa Peramato, prosecutor assigned to the Office for Gender Violence in the Spanish Attorney General.