This is the strategy implemented by the Colombian Congress to report cases of sexual harassment

Since the explosive statements of the former senator were known gustavo bolivarof the Historical Pact, on the alleged women trafficking network in it Congress of the republic, the corporation’s directives began to take actions to mitigate this situation. For example, recently, the strategy called Let’s break the silencewhich seeks to make visible the cases of harassment and sexual violence within the legislature.

The initiative is led by Senator Maria Jose Pizarroalso from the Historical Pact, who is also president of the Women’s Commission, who assured that this mechanism has lawyers, psychologists and other experts to avoid, prevent, and denounce those complaints that, according to versions, have been filed since years ago in the National Capitol.

Let’s break the silence is part of the program that the Women’s Commission created, by order of President Gustavo Petroto determine those responsible for these events and thus give tools to the collaborators of congressmen and other workers of the Legislative to report if they are victims of any of the aforementioned behaviors.

Likewise, the directives of the Senate and House they invite the victims to use the protocol that was devised to make these situations visible and thus attack it at its root. Let’s break the silence “It has legal and psychosocial support to assist and guide people who voluntarily decide to make their situation known,” explains Pizarro’s team in a statement.

Furthermore, within the objectives of this program -which has already begun to be implemented inside the Capitol- the aim is to eradicate “practices patriarchal and macho normalized in the institutions and in society,” said the pro-government senator, who assured that, although many of these actions are not crimes, they should not occur in any scenario and Congress is not the exception.

Along these lines, María José Pizarro asked her fellow legislators not to be “indolent” and report if they know of facts of sexual harassment. “All the people who work in the Congress of the Republic have the duty to denounce,” said the congresswoman, who questioned that, for a long time, these situations occurred under “the noses” of legislators and no one has said anything.

In addition, Pizarro urged that they stop committing “all kinds of vexations” inside the corporation and that is why he urged the authorities, such as the Attorney General’s Office, to investigate as soon as possible. The evidence against the alleged harassers, according to the legislator, is “forceful” and “painful”.

The senator even revealed that not only the case of John Uribewho was coordinator of Canal Congreso and was removed from his position due to accusations of sexual harassment, but that “there are several cases” where it has been shown that in different dependencies of the Congress have evidenced such practices.

Finally, Pizarro reminded the senators and representatives that the protocols and methods that must be followed to denounce these situations already exist in their offices.