Catalonia Gives a Voice to Survivors of Gender-Based Violence
In Spain, gender-based violence remains a devastating and deeply rooted reality. Almost one in three women over the age of 16 has suffered violence from a partner or former partner, and many have experienced sexual violence beyond a relationship. Yet around 70 percent of victims never report their abuser, often through fear, shame or a lack of trust in the system. In Catalonia, a quietly radical theatre initiative is working to break that silence through lived testimony rather than slogans. Developed by the Support and Information Service for Women (SIE) of Alt Empordà in collaboration with social theatre company Enraona Teatre, the project brings together survivors of gender-based violence and invites them to transform their experiences into non-fiction theatre. Psychologist Aroha Cortés explains that the project began with a careful question: “When Eva shared the idea, we assessed how to make it possible.” The answer lay in collaboration. “By coincidence, I followed Enraona Teatre on social media, a social theatre company that immediately felt motivated by it.” Participation is never taken lightly. The women involved are already in advanced therapeutic processes, with mental-health professionals...
