From our special correspondent in Barcelona,
“No Callem”. Two words for a strong message. That of no longer being silent in the face of sexual assault suffered mostly by women and members of the LGBT+ community in bars and nightclubs. These two words are a protocol put in place by the Catalan capital in 2018 to fight against sexual violence in public places. It allows the training of the staff of night establishments to adopt the right reflexes when an attack is committed. In Barcelona, it is therefore the managers of bars, nightclubs, festivals but also of the Olympic Stadium and cultural venues who have been trained by the Spanish police and the municipality. From caring for the victim to capturing the aggressor.
“All our managers have been trained. Behind, they explain the protocol put in place. We have a sheet in our room detailing what we need to do. Give water and reassure the victim, call the police, detain the attacker until the police arrive. Keeping evidence and also proving the facts through CCTV cameras,” explains Miguel-Jesus, from the Osaña bar, Reial square. “The police come to explain ‘No Callem’ to us and we can also attend other more in-depth training,” adds Frederico from the Sidecar bar. According to the City, around forty places in the public space have fully implemented this protocol. A necessary need since according to the survey on sexual violence in Catalonia, in 2019, 33.4% of the violence suffered by women occurred in public spaces. A serious phenomenon that Barcelona wants to stem.
The Alves case, proof of the need for such a protocol
And this protocol has already proved its usefulness in the case of footballer Dani Alves. On the night of December 30 to 31, 2022 at Sutton, a Barcelona nightclub, a 23-year-old woman accuses the ex-Barça and PSG player of rape. The Brazilian would have forced the young woman to give him a blowjob in the toilets of a VIP lounge of the nightclub. Then he would have penetrated the young woman and ejaculated, without protection. Thanks to the “No Callem” protocol, the victim was believed and taken care of immediately by the nightclub team and the police. The Sutton employees prevented access to the VIP toilets, the alleged scene of the attack, and they handed over the CCTV tapes to the police. The victim’s version could thus be considered credible. Three weeks after the events, the footballer was summoned to the Barcelona police station and then placed in police custody for “alleged offense of sexual assault”. He is still currently in prison.
“It’s a real time saver,” said Estela, a police officer in Barcelona. “Having the support of the teams [des lieux de sortie] to move forward in the business changes a lot of things. We can apprehend the aggressor more easily and above all, the victims are less afraid to speak, ”says the young woman.
Because, this is the purpose of this protocol and of this wider campaign: to believe the victims and to denounce the aggressors. “We can prohibit the arrival of the aggressor in our establishment afterwards. We are also able to detect problematic behavior. It’s a party place here, Barcelona is a party town. It should not be a city of fear for the majority of the population,” adds Frederico from the Sidecar bar, place Reial.
At the start of summer, in the Catalan capital, not far from the Ramblas, the party is in full swing, the alcohol is flowing and the heat is intoxicating tourists and revelers with this very local security. Necessary security when you know that 400,000 Spanish women suffered sexual assault in 2021 according to the University of Barcelona.
“It can reassure those who no longer dare to go out”
“I have never suffered anything serious here but it is certain that this protocol gives us the impression of real solidarity between the bartenders, the police and the victims. We see everywhere – especially on the networks – that our word is always questioned. It’s a small step forward,” reports Carmen, a student from Girona who came to see friends. “But I find that it is not put forward enough. We don’t all know this protocol and it could help, it could reassure some who no longer dare to go out because of this violence and these attacks, ”she laments. Around the slightly tipsy young brunette, a festive crowd and a police prowling “for everyone’s safety. Our city lives through tourism. We don’t want to have a reputation as a dangerous destination,” reveals a colleague in Estela’s uniform.
“I especially hope that it scares the aggressors, that they no longer feel free to do harm and get away with it… We are no longer silent, but fear must definitely change sides”, asserts Coline, a French tourist who expects the same thing on the other side of the Pyrenees: “In Paris, we have accounts for #balancetonbar, we have a community of very supportive girls. We warn each other of the dangers, but it’s not up to us to do all the work. We would also like to feel protected in France when we go out. »