Soho bars in Málaga become refuges against gender violence

The Málaga City Council has launched an initiative in the Soho district for bars and restaurants to act as support points against gender violence. Staff have received training and the venues include napkins with messages from the campaign 'Málaga, free from gender violence'.

The Málaga City Council has turned the bars and restaurants of Soho into allies against gender violence. From this week, nine establishments in the area are acting as support points for women who suffer assaults, thanks to a programme that combines staff training and visible materials such as napkins with information on resources.

The initiative, driven by the City Council and the Civic Association for Prevention, aims for leisure venues to be safe spaces where victims can ask for help. Staff have received specific training to detect signs of violence and know how to act, while customers will find the campaign slogan and the municipal resource website on the napkins.

Nine venues prepared to respond

The establishments participating in the plan are Rubico, Las Muns, Miss Sushi, Café del Soho, La Pica Soho, El Rincón del Cervecero, Café de Estraperlo, La Guernica Asador, and Standard Coffee. All of them have placed napkin holders with the campaign message 'Málaga, free from gender violence' and the website address noesnoigualdad.eu, where women can access information on prevention and support.

Councillor Francisco Campos has highlighted that these venues assume a new role beyond leisure, becoming sensitised spaces capable of offering a first response while emergency resources are activated. Training has been key for waiters and owners to know how to approach a situation without putting the victim at risk.

A project with municipal and state backing

This action is part of the Punto Violeta project, developed by the Civic Association for Prevention with the support of the City Council. The programme has a municipal grant of €18,200, funded in turn by resources from the State Pact against Gender Violence.

The aim is for these establishments to be a daily and accessible refuge. The napkins, in addition to carrying the message, include the resource website where women can find information on social, legal, psychological, and employment support. For the Soho resident, this means that any evening of tapas can become a moment of help if someone needs it.

The City Council reminds that it has an Integral Attention Service for Gender Violence in Tabacalera, with a multidisciplinary team. In addition, the emergency numbers 951 926 010, 951 92 60 06, and the 24-hour urgent legal service 679 661 800 are operational, in coordination with the state 016 service.