Daniel Alves case inspires projects to protect women – 02/03/2023 – Daily life

Unlike what happens in Brazil with cases of sexual harassment, the accusation of rape that weighs against soccer player Daniel Alves, 39, drew attention because it was conducted quickly.

Denounced by a 23-year-old woman, the player is investigated on suspicion of raping the young woman inside the Sutton nightclub, in Barcelona, ​​at the end of 2022. In less than a month, Alves was sent to preventive detention.

Now, the case inspires bills in Brazil at the municipal, state and federal levels to guarantee the safety of women in private spaces, such as nightclubs, bars, restaurants and concert halls.

The speed of the investigation is linked to the application of the “No Callem” protocol, which was developed in 2018 and details how private spaces should prevent and act in the event of aggression within establishments.

In the city of São Paulo, for example, two similar projects were filed with the City Council, one by Banca Feminista do PSOL, on Monday (30), and another by councilor Cris Monteiro (Novo), on Tuesday.

Councilor Silvia Ferraro says it is important for the city with great nightlife to have legislation to protect women so that they feel safe everywhere.

“We want to prevent harassers from escaping, and that’s what happens today. If a space is not prepared, the victim leaves, and by the time she files a police report, everything is over. If the establishment forwards the case, that has a much greater importance”, he says.

The project foresees that the establishment of nocturnal leisure will provide shelter to women victims of violence, with assistance in referring them to a health unit, providing information and images and immediate communication to the police authority.

The text of the project also says that the establishments will be guided to ensure that the person attacked receives care and necessary information about possible legal referrals, in addition to clearly expressing rejection of the attitude of the aggressor, who must have the data collected for an eventual complaint.

Both Ferraro’s and Monteiro’s projects provide that establishments that adopt the protocol will have a seal that certifies that they are prepared to act in the event of harassment. The protocols do not provide for an obligation to implement the protocol. Once approved, however, they believe the places that adhere to the measures will be the most frequented, as they will be where women will feel safer.

“It is good for business that the establishment shows that it is prepared to detect harassment”, says Cris Monteiro. In her project, she proposes that the space participate in training for this.

At the state level, deputy Marina Helou (Rede) decided not to propose a new law, but to include the protocol within another norm that was approved at the end of 2022 at Alesp (Legislative Assembly of São Paulo) and which awaits the sanction of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans).

Bill 370/2021 makes it mandatory to train employees in bars, restaurants, nightclubs, nightclubs, concert halls to identify and combat sexual harassment and rape culture practiced against women.

She says she is afraid that the various projects that are being proposed due to the case of the player Daniel Alves will not, in fact, be implemented. For this reason, she is now fighting for the law to be sanctioned and for the state to create a protocol similar to “No Callem” in its regulation, with an optional seal for establishments.

“The law needs to be effective for everyone, taking into account the reality of women on the outskirts. It’s no use serving ten elite houses in São Paulo”, says Helou.

District deputy Gabriel Magno (PT) filed a bill in the Federal District that amends a 2001 law and includes rules on video monitoring in order to prevent, above all, violence against women in establishments.

“This measure is crucial, adequate and, in the long term, effective for building a safer world”, Magno wrote on social media.

At the federal level, Deputy Duarte Jr (PSB-MA) filed a bill this week along the lines of “No Callem”. On Twitter, he states that, despite the Penal Code establishing femicide as a heinous crime, it is important that there is collaboration with entertainment companies to guarantee first aid and referral to health and safety areas.

At least two other deputies, Maria Arraes (Solidariedade-PE) and Sônia Bomfim (PSOL-SP) signaled that they intend to file a bill inspired by “No Callem”. On Twitter, Arraes stated that the idea is that commercial establishments and events are obliged to instruct employees to welcome victims in a humane way.

Bomfim, meanwhile, said on Instagram that he will present a bill to guarantee the same approach as “No Callem” in Brazil, which provides for specific training, surveillance, protocols on how to deal with victims, agility in collecting evidence, preserving evidence, linking direct contact with law enforcement authorities and prevention tools.