The 9th ‘Fundación Aliados’ Journalism Awards against Gender Violence are presented

The journalists Lorena Ferro, Anna Grimau, Sara Boldú and Isabel Coello have received, at the headquarters of the Press Association of Madrid, the 9th Journalism Awards against Gender Violence, organised by the Aliados por la Integración Foundation, each of them with 3,000 euros in cash and a commemorative trophy.

This competition, in which 96 works published in the Spanish media took part, seeks to highlight the essential role of journalism in the fight against this social scourge, rewarding the best practices and approaches in raising awareness and denouncing it.

Óscar Vázquez, deputy director of Antena 3 Noticias and member of the jury, opened the event, recalling that in 2016, when these awards began, the number of women murdered was 40, the same as so far this year, which shows, he said, that there is still much to be done. He alluded to the importance of the guide drawn up some time ago by journalists Javier Fernández Arribas and Myriam Noblejas on how gender violence should be dealt with in the media and stated that in the editions of the Aliados Foundation Awards he has been able to see how the news treatment has been changing ‘with serious, rigorous work, full of talent, which avoids sensationalism and avoids easy dogmatism’. With regard to this year's edition, he highlighted the ‘immense quality’ of the works.

After congratulating the winners, Vázquez presented the Written Media prize to Lorena Ferro, from La Vanguardia, for her report ‘The judge who writes letters to children’. The piece, which highlights the innovative work of judge Isabel Giménez in protecting minors affected by vicarious violence, stands out for its sensitivity and depth. The jury praised Ferro's ability to tackle a complex subject from a human and legal perspective, highlighting the courage of this judge who writes letters to children to explain her judicial decisions.

Ferro highlighted the interest of these awards, which promote ‘committed journalism with a soul’. For the author, this recognition is for Judge Isabel Jiménez, because if journalism, she stressed, must fulfil a social function, that is what this judge does with her pioneering sentences that protect minors and their mothers. The journalist also praised the judge's interest in training herself and putting herself in the children's shoes to explain her decisions to them and relieve them of their guilt. ‘She practises justice with a soul and this is still rare,’ said Ferro, who wished there were more female judges like her.

In the Radio/Podcast category, Isabel Coello was awarded the prize for her podcast ‘La Casa Grande’, an emotional journey through the work of the Centre for the Care, Recovery and Reintegration of Abused Women in Madrid. Through eight episodes, Coello masterfully captures the stories of overcoming and recovery of women who have gone through the centre, exploring themes such as trauma, guilt and hope. The jury highlighted her ability to connect the audience with the experiences of the protagonists, and to give a voice to those who have faced the most extreme violence.

The award was presented by journalist Myriam Noblejas. Coello highlighted the fundamental role of the media in dealing with the complex phenomenon of violence against women, which is covered up and silenced in many areas, hence, she stressed, the responsibility of the media and the need for victims to speak out to break the silence. The award-winner also asked that the difficulties that shelters have in maintaining themselves be talked about, ‘as a society we have to take responsibility for these centres to function’. 

Finally, in the Television category, the award was presented by Almudena Fontecha, president of the Aliados por la Integración Foundation, to Anna Grimau and Sara Boldú for their report ‘Orphans behind the silence’, broadcast on the RTVE programme ‘Repor’. This work deals forcefully with the situation of orphaned minors, more than 400 children in 10 years, a reality that is often made invisible. With real testimonies, such as that of Luz, who after the murder of her sister was left with her three nephews, the report denounces the structural shortcomings faced by these victims, both emotionally and legally, and highlights the urgency of implementing more effective protection measures.

The award winners, after explaining that they wondered how they survive, how they take care of their children and what happens afterwards, since once they turn 18 they are no longer visible, dedicated their award to all the victims, to their courage, to their strength to move forward on a daily basis, to not get lost in the bureaucracy, and to their bravery in telling the harshness of their experiences.

The prize money will be donated to the Soledad Cazorla Scholarship Fund, which will enable two orphans of gender violence to study and receive psychological care, they announced.

The closing speech was given by Almudena Fontecha, president of Aliados por la Integración, who conveyed ‘the affection, gratitude and recognition of the entire Aliados family’ to the award winners. Fontecha emphasised the commitment that society must have against gender violence, as it is not a private matter but a public matter that concerns everyone.

The president of the Aliados Foundation stressed that over the last nine years, she has noticed how society has been changing, as well as the media making a deeper analysis of gender violence, ‘but we must continue to work’.

In her speech, she highlighted some data such as the fact that 84% of the complaints end in a conviction and that 88% of the proceedings initiated are based on police reports, ‘this breaks the myth of false complaints’, she said.

She also highlighted the work of the organisations that are ensuring that many women ‘have been able to get out of this cage’ and the work of the State Security Forces and Corps, as 19,000 women are being protected, although many of them, she stressed, ‘do not feel that the administration supports them, which is why they do not take the step’.

Finally, she praised the works presented and the fact that, without intending to, all three have a common thread: children, ‘which signifies the importance that is being given to these invisible victims’. ‘Gender violence is a sign of society's weakness and to deny it is ignorance’, said Fontecha, who hoped that there would be no more minutes of silence.

The jury of the 9th Journalism Awards Against Gender Violence is made up of Almudena Fontecha, president of the Executive Committee of the Aliados por la Integración Foundation; Miguel Ángel Noceda, president of the Federation of Associations of Journalists of Spain (FAPE); Alfonso Nasarre, director of Onda Madrid; Pilar Álvarez, head of Última Hora in El País; Óscar Vázquez, deputy director of Antena3 Noticias; Raquel Benito, editor-in-chief of El Confidencial; Alfonso Rodríguez, director of Colpisa; Myriam Noblejas, journalist specialising in gender violence and assistant to the Directorate General for Communication of Madrid City Council, and Javier Fernández Arribas, director of Atalayar and contributor to various media.