Quarantine: How to ask for help in pharmacies if you are a victim of gender violence

The Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity of the Nation (MMGyD) and the Argentine Pharmaceutical Confederation (COFA) launched a joint initiative in the context of social, preventive and compulsory isolation, which leads to the victims of gender violence to have to live with their abusers. Beginning April 1, LGBTI + women and people they can go to the pharmacy in their neighborhood or communicate by phone and request a red chinstrap, so that the staff understands that they are immersed in a situation of sexist violence and make the complaint to Line 144.

According to the authorities, once the order was placed, the pharmaceutical staff will answer that you do not have the product yet and will ask for some personal information, such as name, telephone, address, date and type of order (if it is personal or for another), alleging that you should approach it as soon as it is available.

It is important to note that, in case the request is personal and the victim cannot receive a call, they will be able to provide the contact details of a trusted person. Once the complaint is received, the person will be contacted from Line 144 and you will be provided with containment, information and advice.

Decree 297/2020 on preventive and compulsory social isolation characterized the pharmacy how “Essential service” and, therefore, it is one of the few items that will remain open and operational during this period. In turn, the Line 144, through a resolution of the MMGyD was declared as “Indispensable service” and it is also enabled 24 hours a day.

This initiative arose from the experience promoted by the Secretariat for Gender Equality of the government of the Province of Río Negro who carried out the “Red Chinstrap” campaign with pharmacists from that province. Likewise, a similar campaign was launched in Spain, in which victims had to request a “Mask-19” to receive help.

From the portfolio in charge of Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta they also reported that “if the pharmaceutical staff identifies a client in a situation of violence from physical or psychological signs that account for that situation, even if the person does not request the red chinstrap, from the store they will contact Line 144 directly for advice on how to act. ” The initiative also involves a campaign with brochures that will be distributed in pharmacies across the country.

In addition to these measures, from the Women’s Ministry decided to strengthen the usual reporting channels in the context of the health emergency. They seek to guarantee an efficient response to the potential increase in cases of gender violence. For example, they added personnel to the Line 144 service team and new communication channels were created: three lines of WhatsApp (11-2771-6463, 11-2775-9047 / 48) and a email (linea144@mingeneros.gob.ar).

In addition, they launched a free mobile application for both Android and iPhone devices through the ministry’s website.

It should be noted that the Line 144 It is free and works 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. There you can report and ask for advice regarding all types and modalities of violence: physical, psychological, obstetric, economic, labor, institutional, media, political violence, among others.

They call for a “Noise” against gender violence

It will be this Monday 30 at 18:00 from all the balconies, terraces and windows of the country.

Since mandatory isolation has prevailed in the country, there have been 12 femicides. For this reason, under slogans such as “machismo does not take quarantine,” various groups launched this initiative through social networks to demand urgent measures from the government to protect victims and their families.

Coronavirus: what are the symptoms and how to prevent the spread