Officials in the Spanish city of Pamplona are pushing back against calls for a boycott of its annual bull-running festival by seeking to reassure women that the event, which begins on Friday, will be safe to attend.

The campaign by Pamplona's city government comes in the wake of the controversial rape case acquittal and release on bail of the members of the "Wolf Pack," a group of five men who assaulted a young woman during the festival in 2016.

Mentions of a boycott have circulated on social media — evidence of persistent anger over the attack. But city councilwoman for security and community, Itziar Gomez, said that women should have faith in the city's institutions.

Gomez and her colleagues at Pamplona's municipality have launched a campaign called "Pamplona — free from sexual harrassment."

"Faced with calls not to come to the festival, I would make a call to women that Pamplona is a city whose institutions and society have said they will not allow assaults," Gomez said. "This is a safe place with social, institutional and police support," she added.

Laura Berro, city councilwoman for equality and LGBTI issues in Pamplona, echoed Gomez's call and encouraged women to show up.

"Now more than ever we women have to fill the streets, fill the 'fiestas' and fill the night because you will have that assurance that there are women in the street with you," said Berro.

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City releases police app

Pamplona has been trying to clamp down on sexual assault at its famous festival since before the "Wolf Pack" case: It has been coordinating with thousands of police officers, specialized staff and helplines in dozens of languages to deal with such incidents.

But the high profile case has pushed city administrators to keep doing more. This year, the city has released a free smartphone app for women to report cases of sexual assault.

When used, the "AgreStop/EraStop" app sends a signal to police officers with the location of where the distress call was made.

Since it does not require a phone conversation, the app is supposed to make sexual harassment distress calls easier and enable a faster response from police officers.

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There are three options available on the app. The first option labeled "I'm suffering an assault" sends the immediate location signal to police. The second option "report an assault" connects witnesses with police and the third option "keep me company" allows the user to send his or her location to a friend, who would be able to track the person's movement to ensure he or she arrives home safely.

A nationwide problem

Spain was ranked 17th among European countries for the prevalence of sexual assault, according to Eurostat, with 18.6 assaults reported per 100,000 of the population in 2015. Since the year of the Wolf Pack assault, the figure has been climbing steadily.

Women's rights groups say the increase is due to an uptick in victims reporting these cases.

Spanish women have mobilized on the streets with slogans such as "I believe you, sister" and "Drunk and alone, I want to get home," to denounce sexual harassment and protest the way the legal system handles these cases.

jcg/aw (Reuters, EFE)

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport The running of the bulls Pamplona's Sanfermines festival is held annually between July 7 and 14. Though its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, the festival comprises many other traditional events. The fiesta's fame grew with Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises" and attracts thousands of foreign tourists every year.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Two men seriously injured Two Spanish men were in serious condition after being gored on Sunday, the fourth day of the running of the bulls. More than 1,000 participants packed the narrow cobblestoned streets of Pamplona's old town. The bulls came out strong from the starting gate and completed the 850-meter (2,800-foot) run within two and a half minutes.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport First fatality in over three decades The Spanish bullfighter Victor Barrio was gored to death in front of horrified spectators at a corrida on Saturday, becoming the first matador to be killed in the ring in over three decades. Barrio, 29, was struck in the chest by the massive bull, who tossed him in the air before he fell to the ground. He was pronounced dead late Saturday by a surgeon at the Teruel bullring.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Widespread reaction The goring of Barrio was broadcast live on television, and news of his death brought widespread reaction, including from within the bullfighting sector and from well-known politicians. Participants at the running of the bulls on Sunday at the San Fermin festivities in Pamplona wore improvised black armbands in honor of the fallen matador.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Giants and Big-heads The streets of Pamplona are also home to the traditional Gigantes y Cabezudos (Giants and Big-heads). The giants are hollow figures, several meters tall, with painted paper heads and arms. The rest of the body is covered in cloth.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Activists denounce the blood sport Covered in fake blood, animal liberation activists demonstrate for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights. This demonstration took place on July 5, just before the start of the festival in Pamplona. Such events have come under fire in Spain. Several regions have enacted measures against bullfighting.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Opposition gains momentum Covered in fake blood, members of the AnimaNaturalis organization hold placards as they stage a protest against bullfighting in front of Valencia's city hall. This demonstration took place during the Fallas Festival on March 13.

Bullfighting: A cruel and dangerous spectator sport Fifteen casualties since 1924 Ten people, including four Americans, were gored in the San Fermin festival last year. In all, 15 people have died from gorings in the festival since 1924. Author: Aasim Saleem



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