Article 3 of the Istanbul Convention defines violence against women as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women and shall mean all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.

Violence against women for reasons of gender is also defined as “violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately”.

Some violence against women outside the sphere of couples is less visible not only in society overall but also for those professionals working to prevent it and on social inclusion.  Despite progress made in tackling trafficking, there is still insufficient information, knowledge and awareness raising on the manifold manifestations of male chauvinist violence and on trafficking as a form of gender violence.

These are the terrible results:

• Indifference, confusion, normalization and minimization of its impact and significance.

• Lack of detection, identification, protection and adequate and appropriate support.

• Revictimization and impunity.

• Difficulties for victims to access their rights.

We need to work on changing the social perception of gender violence and trafficking as one of its worst manifestations. This takes time. In order to progress towards transformations spotlighting, informing and awareness raising on the issue is first needed. And that is the objective of this campaign.

The graphic pieces are the first layer of information and focus on spotlighting trafficking as gender violence. The website tratadasporsermujeres.es is the second layer, as it affords us the time and space we need to explain. It is the educational piece, the one that lends the campaign all of its meaning. This makes its visibility more important in the campaign strategy. Everything needs to lead there, to that most important piece. The website is conceived for the public at large to broaden its notion of gender violence and perfectly understand why trafficking is so imbued with gender violence. That’s what it boils down to.

#TratadasPorSerMujer (#TraffickedForBeingAWomen) is the campaign concept and part of the premise that gender violence is violence suffered by woman merely because they are women. “For Being a Woman” is a specific expression that is taken on board and embraced by feminism. To spotlight gender violence, it is strategically important to join the social, cultural and communication consensus in raising awareness about male chauvinist violence. We also use the term “tratadas” to draw attention, educate and broaden the public’s vocabulary. In Spanish, the term rolls both women and victims of trafficking into one and places women at the conceptual heart of the campaign.

Because we wanted the campaign to spotlight trafficking as violence against women, we conceived it as a campaign to combat gender violence. We wanted it to enshrine a certain activist spirit and, to the extent possible, represent its victims: hidden, listless women. This type of communication tends to be exceedingly dark and negative because of the harsh reality it reflects. María Hergueta’s talent helped us strike a balance there.

The campaign’s generic message works as a resounding proclamation that victims of trafficking are victims merely because they are women. Taking it from there, the campaign narrative focuses on closely linking trafficking and gender violence. It shows them to be inseparable from each other and drives home the idea through each one of its pieces, covering the different aims of trafficking: for sexual exploitation and pornography; domestic service and sexual slavery; and forced marriage.

Being able to work together with experts in trafficking from the Fundación Amaranta and Proyecto Esperanza is the best thing that can happen in your career.