Junts Acts Like ERC in a Motion in the Parlament on Sexual Assaults

The Parliament of Catalonia debated in yesterday's plenary session about the increase in sexual assaults. The interpellation was presented by Vox. Its deputy Sergio Macián wanted to "confirm the alarming increase in rapes in our territory and the threat of mass immigration to women's safety".

The party warned of the "500% increase in rapes since 2016" and the fact that "the four Catalan provinces lead the number of rapes per one hundred thousand inhabitants".

The deputy called to "pursue the practice of imported customs that are contrary to women's dignity". He mentioned female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and skyrocketing sexual violence.

Meanwhile, Vox pointed out the "failure" of the policies of the Generalitat of Catalonia. "That rapes have multiplied by five in eight years only points to you in the midst of this tragedy".

Measures Proposed by Vox

Vox proposed several measures, such as requesting "a study on the causes of the increase in rapes and the repeated profiles of the aggressors". They also called to combat civil or religious discourses that justify violence against women. Additionally, they asked to lower the criminal age for rapists.

As expected, the motion caused an intense debate with the already known positions of ERC, PSC, or Comuns. Also from PP and Aliança Catalana, who supported Vox's motion.

But above all, the intervention of Junts drew attention. Carles Puigdemont's party continues to navigate in indecision. In some forums, it launches one type of message, but in others, it continues to copy ERC's narrative.

Junts Copies ERC's Discourse

The deputy Sònia Martínez defended Junts's position on the motion presented by Vox. The deputy accused Vox of "wanting to sow fear" by linking the rise in rapes with the increase in illegal immigration. She accused them of "using false data, creating false narratives, and despising the victims".

She also stated that "the problem of sexual violence is not a matter of origin but a structural problem rooted in machismo and inequality".

Furthermore, she said that if there are more reports, it is because women dare more to report. Which led her to say that with their motion, Vox is despising the courage of the victims to report. And also ignoring that, according to her position, the women's protection policies are indeed working.

Her narrative was on par with ERC's. To the point that in her subsequent intervention, the former Minister of Equality Tània Verge congratulated the Junts deputy for her "pedagogical exposition".

High Voltage Vox-Tània Verge

The former Minister Tània Verge had a very harsh intervention against Vox. She accused them of being "a placement agency for abusers and aggressors," and of being "disgustingly hypocritical". The ERC deputy picked up the gauntlet from the Junts deputy to say that the increase in reports is because now women feel more joined.

In his turn to reply, Macián reminded her of several cases of machismo and those convicted of pedophilia and harassment within ERC's ranks. He also directly reproached Tània Verge for not having done anything for the minor victim of a gang assault in the Magic of Badalona.