Tuesday, March 19

Irene Montero responds to the PP that they promote the culture of rape and Batet calls her to order


The president of the Congress of Deputies, Meritxell Batet, warned the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, during the control session on Wednesday, for ensuring that the PP “promotes the culture of rape” in a parliamentary response to the main party of the opposition in reference to the so-called ‘only yes is yes’ law. The popular deputy, Belén Hoyo, had asked the minister in her turn to speak to “stop appropriating feminism and using it to divide society.” “Stop exonerating yourself by insulting the judges,” Hoyo said in reference to the law and before criticizing the latest Equality campaign against machismo. “Stop wasting public money on ad campaigns by targeting people unfairly and ruthlessly. I should resign,” she concluded.

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In her response, the minister defended the legal text and assured that “for the first time it protects all victims of sexist and sexual violence.” And she vindicated the work of the Government in terms of equality in contrast to the attitude that she reproached the right. “You are promoting a campaign in Galicia that says ‘it shouldn’t happen but it does happen’, or that says ‘watch your glass, woman’, in the Community of Madrid, or that ‘who sows winds reaps storms’. It’s blaming the victims, holding the victims accountable. You promote rape culture that calls into question the credibility of the victims,” she exclaimed.

The bench of the right revolted in unison against the words of the minister, towards whom they came to direct insults such as “scoundrel”, and demanded the intervention of the president of Congress. Batet asked for silence and let Irene Montero finish her intervention, although she later recriminated the expression used by the head of Equality. “Madam Minister, this presidency considers that the expression that she has used is not adequate in parliamentary terms addressed to a parliamentary group. I ask you, please, respect in the expressions that are used and containment in the language. We must want to contribute to coexistence within this chamber because we want to contribute to coexistence outside of this chamber. I ask you please in general terms to avoid inappropriate language for parliament.” The president’s intervention was applauded by the PSOE. Not by United We Can.

At that point, the PP spokesperson, Cuca Gamarra, asked for the floor, describing Irene Montero’s comment as “highly offensive”. “We are the party that has fought and will continue to fight for equality in this country and for an end to gender violence. What the minister has to do is be a little more responsible out of respect for the victims of sexual assaults.” she said she.

The Minister of Equality still had a turn to respond, which she used to defend the use of her expression, insisting on the institutional campaigns carried out by the PP in communities such as Galicia or Madrid. “What do you call telling a woman to watch her glass instead of focusing on the aggressor as they have done in the institutional campaign of the Community of Madrid? Or tell a woman that it shouldn’t happen but it does instead of asking the offender to stop sexually assaulting women? Give them whatever name you want, ”she concluded.



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