The President of the Government urged today in Santa Cruz das Flores, the mobilisation of everyone so that the Region can continue the path towards the reduction of domestic violence cases, an issue that should be given "zero tolerance."
 
"Regardless the form of violence used or the gender of its victims, we must be a Region that strives for a zero tolerance attitude towards domestic violence," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke at the public presentation of the Regional Campaign for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence, which includes, among other initiatives, the creation of a helpline - 800 24 24 24.
 
Operated by a team with specific training, this line will be accessible from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Outside these hours, calls are automatically redirected to the national emergency number 112, thus ensuring that they will never take place in a void in terms of assistance.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, all the work the Regional Government is doing and will continue to do as well as the partnerships that have been established are intended to achieve this regional strategy, "tacking the challenge we still have to overcome."
 
"We must mobilise everyone to ensure that the Region continues this downward trend in the reduction of the number of domestic violence cases," stressed the President of the Government on the first day of the statutory visit to the island of Flores. 
 
According to the latest Internal Security Annual Report, the Azores registered last year a decrease of 10.8 percent in the number of cases compared to the previous year, this being the most significant reduction in the country where the number of cases dropped 1.8 percent.
 
In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro address a word of thanks to all entities that are partners in this process, considering that the challenge to overcome the issue of domestic and gender violence is not the sole responsibility of the Government, but of the whole Azorean society.
 
As for the awareness raising actions developed on this issue in 2015,  the President of the Government also pointed out that the initiatives covered about 50 thousand Azoreans.
 
In addition, these efforts enabled support centres to monitor four thousand cases last year. The various components of this intervention have provided support and monitoring to which they are entitled.
 
"But we are not satisfied with these results, because this is an issue about which it is necessary to say that should be given zero tolerance," said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
Under the 2nd Regional Plan for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic and Gender Violence, the campaign presented today involves all private social solidarity institutions that make up the Regional Support Network for Domestic and Gender Violence Victims. In turn, this network is made up of the Local Centres for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence.