The spokesperson, María Fernanda Santana, describes the situation as “immoral” and calls for enhanced specialised training within the health and judicial systems.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 21 March. (Europa Press) –
On Thursday, María Fernanda Santana, the representative of the ‘Mothers living’ collective, expressed her strong disapproval of the public institutional system, labelling it an “accomplice” to the “abusers” and the harm inflicted upon their partners and children.
“This is utterly immoral and completely unacceptable,” she declared during an impassioned address before the Parliamentary Social Welfare Commission, where she received a standing ovation from the deputies. She cautioned that “there are lives at stake” and that “they are destroying childhoods.”
In this context, she stated that the institutions “fail to meet” the Comprehensive Law on Protection for Children and Adolescents against Violence (Lopivi), which was enacted in June 2021. “And nothing changes,” she lamented, while “the rights of children are repeatedly violated, robbing them of a joyful childhood.”
Santana emphasised that “no one is held accountable for this violation,” resulting in “immense suffering” and a sense of frustration and outrage, with emotional scars that affect their health. “We don’t even have 70 weekly euros for a psychotherapist,” she told the deputies.
Santana highlighted the plight of minors who “horror” at the thought of leaving their homes because they must be with their father, with authorities that “snatch them away” from their mother’s embrace to take them to an adult who “hits them, insults them, belittles them, humiliates them,” and even “sexually abuses” them.
She mentioned that some minors “vomit upon hearing their parent’s voice,” while others “urinate and defecate” from panic or are medicated to “get through the day,” when in reality they are often “misdiagnosed.” “This is no fiction; it is our reality,” she elaborated.
Additionally, she pointed out the “lack of specialised training and understanding regarding childhood and gender,” particularly in the healthcare sector, as they “identify the symptoms but fail to recognise the underlying causes” that lead to anxiety disorders, stress, and delays in language or development.
As a result, there are “minors who self-harm, experience conflicts, start failing in school, or display aggressive behaviours,” sometimes even blaming their mothers for the situation and the separation from their fathers.
Advocating for a Loving Childhood
She indicated that the aim of the association, comprised of around fifty women, is to “collaborate to eliminate vicarious violence” and to “transform macho ideologies” that are often perpetuated by the victims themselves.
Santana emphasised that “society does not accept violence, especially against the vulnerable,” who deserve a “childhood filled with respectful love and parenting, free from stereotypes and prejudices.”
She noted that “nothing justifies raising a hand to a child,” and although “psychological abuse is more subtle and leaves deeper scars,” she urged the deputies to take action.
Additionally, she remarked that it is “ridiculous” for a justice system that “exempts fathers and punishes mothers,” as well as giving a platform “to a man who has murdered his children,” referring to Luis Breton’s book.
She lamented the absence of data for assessing vicarious violence, stating that murders are merely the “tip of the iceberg” and stressed that “it is outrageous” for judges, lawyers, or social workers to impose visitation rights for those convicted of gender-based violence. “Are we losing our minds?” she questioned.
Santana specifically addressed the family meeting points where she has observed “threats” from professionals, such as “pressuring” children to “love the parent, disregarding the fact that he is an abuser.”
“Do not abandon us; do not make us feel we were wrong to trust in you,” she implored.
