Jesùs Caldera and Maria Teresa Fernàndez de laVega. / manuel escalera Thè govemment approved Friday 10 urgent measures to fight domestic abuse until a more comprehensive law is passed sooie time later this year. One of thè measures approved yesterday entaiis increasing thè number of law enforcement officers assigned to victim protection duties, who now number 120, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Jesùs Caldera said in a press conference following thè cabinet meeting. There will be 200 national police agents, 250 Civil Guard agents and locai police officers involved in thè fight against domestic violence, he added. So far this year, 20 women have died at thè hands of their spouses or partners. Thè governing Socialist Party has made thè fight against domestic abuse a comerstone of its program, promising a comprehensive law to prevent attacks and help victims. In a recent interview with Thè New York Times, Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero went so far as to say he is a "radicai feminist." Another one of thè measures entaiis stepping up thè surveillanee of alleged aggressors and protecting thè rights ofbattered women. Thè state attorney's office will establish this type ofcrime as high priority and pay special attention to measures such as thè suspension of visiting rights for fathers accused of abusing their partners, or preventive prison for aggressors who break a restraining order. Càndido Conde-Pumpido, thè attomey generai, said Friday that women "shouid not be afraid to rcport abuses, because they will find a very energetic attorney's office that will not let any cases slip by." Law enforcement and administration officiais will work together to draw a map of risk areas in each region, to ensure that victims get speedy assistance. There will be a protocol establishing degrees ofrisk to thè victim so that agents can pay extra attention to thè more serious cases. Thè map is also intended to improve coordination among thè police, attorneys and judges. Remote assistance services will also be available to women who have restraining orders against partners, said Caldera. Thè govemment also plans to encourage active employment policies for abused women, who will have immediate access to economie and social aid. Every woman who has been granted a protection order will be given a celi phone to ease communication with thè police so far, oniy 300 women in Spain have been granted phones in such cases. Thè previous Popular Party administration approved a protection order last August with added measures to help victims of abuse, but critics say it has not been enough. On Tuesday, Spain proposed that thè European Union include a statement in thè Intergovemmental Conference (IGC), charged with drawing up a European Constitution, about thè EU's commitment to preventing domestic violence, diplomatic sources said. If thè IGC included such a statement, thè European Commission couid propose union-wide initiatives to fight domestic violence. Fonte: El Pais | 
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