A Benidorm Festival without sexist attacks. Benidorm’s Equality and Social Welfare Department placed two purple dots at each of the entrances to the L’Illa de Benidorm Sports Palace, corresponding to both the stands and the track. The tables placed are intended to serve as a point of information, support and assistance for both the general public and those experiencing some form of aggression at the event.
Among the ten points emphasized by his brochure are the following premises: Obligation to encourage free and respectful time for all participants, zero tolerance for sexist attacks and to report them when witnessedEmphasize that no means no, that alcohol and drugs do not justify sexual assault, and reject both sexist attacks and hate crimes.
organizer of the Equality Office and coordinator of both violet points, Jose Vicente Vizcaya says his “main mission” is to provide “visibility.” “It is important that we are here and that people see us, it serves to raise awareness” “And it helps to see that in these places where there are big events and there are a lot of people, we have to adhere to minimum standards where there will be no aggression,” he comments.
Purple dots debuted at the second edition of the festival last year and no attacks were reported, but large numbers of people turned up to learn about their work. Like this, In the 2024 edition they reiterate: “Our very presence helps deter any malicious behavior. We also work with a group of very diverse professional profiles.” “We have social workers, psychologists, social educators, integrators… We are a multidisciplinary group that aims to help in all areas,” he concludes.