Arrested for gender violence? You are being watched!

Madrid, May 27: Those sentenced for gender-related violence in Spain, after doing their time in jail, will be set free but put under constant surveillance.

This is one of the chief measures of the National Strategy against Gender Violence, whose basic elements were presented Saturday by Spain's secretary of state for social services and equality, Juan Manuel Moreno, and which includes 258 measures to "isolate" offenders completely and give victims all the help possible.

The plan is funded with 1.5 billion euros ($1.9 billion) and will have a duration of four years, which is to say, it will be launched this year and will continue until 2016.

The plan seeks, among other objectives, to improve the institutional response to the abuse of females, to bring to light other kinds of violence against women - such as forced marriages - to train and raise awareness among the agents involved in the program.

To break their silence, victims will not only be able to call telephone number 016 for information and advice, but will have access to the service through a web site.

In view of the latest women's deaths from male violence - four in three days - which raises the toll to 22 so far this year, Moreno urged that no one make the fight against this phenomenon "an element of political conflict".

IANS