The Minister of Equality denies that minors "wander" through Ceuta and expresses her "special concern" for their protection

Ana Redondo, Minister of Equality, this very Friday has denied that underage girls who are in Ceuta after the massive entry of migrants at the end of July "wander" around the Autonomous City, at the same time that she has highlighted the "special concern" of the Government of Spain for the protection of minors. This was stated by the minister after her visit to the 'purple point' set up by the City Council of Cabezón de Pisuerga (Valladolid) during the patron saint festivities.

After being asked about the alleged situation of girls who "wander" around Ceuta, she denied that such a situation occurs and confirmed that what the Ceuta authorities report is that "they have safe spaces where they are developing their lives these days and therefore these minors are cared for and are safe at all times." In addition, Redondo stressed that "there is a special concern for these girls and these minors to be protected and, of course, the law is being complied with." For this reason, she explained that a "24-hour crisis center" has been opened in Ceuta where assaulted women are attended to and there are also "girls who are being attended to."

In relation to the aggressors, she affirmed that a male has already been expelled, according to the Ministry of Interior, and she also guaranteed that when these complaints are made and analyzed, they are investigated and "all aggressors will be absolutely expelled." "Of course, the State is with them, we are going to protect them and we are going to try by all means at our disposal to normalize this situation as soon as possible," she emphasized in relation to the minors affected by the migratory crisis in Ceuta.

As she commented, the minister has been in contact with the administrations and with the Government of Ceuta from the very beginning. For this reason, Redondo explained that the dialogue has been "very fluid", mainly with the gender violence care unit there in Ceuta, but "also with the counselor who is in charge of equality." In the same way, she pointed out that the resources of the State Pact have been made available for the attention of this crisis: "Not only those of this year but also the remnants from previous years so that they can be used in the protection of girls," she stressed.

Also, "several meetings" have been held with NGOs, feminist organizations, and human rights organizations in the territory, and there is also "permanent contact to monitor and follow up on a situation whose dimension is enormous." Finally, the minister has called the situation a "state problem" because "Spanish sovereignty has been affected and therefore the entire administration, all administrations, the entire State is collaborating from each of the assumed competencies so that the return to normality is as possible as possible," she concluded.