Sometimes things change and not for the better. Today, we are living in an environment of exacerbated violence, of uncontrolled aggressiveness that manifests itself in all areas of society and is a problem that affects humanity worldwide. There are wars that are leaving countries and families destroyed; in every corner of the world, we can find people struggling. We cannot turn a blind eye. We are part of the problem and the sooner we realize it will be the better since we can advance on a path of solution. The very rapid growth of this impulse that hurts us has harmful effects of a wide spectrum that affects the entire population pyramid: from the smallest to the oldest; from the poorest to the richest; it occurs among the wise and the ignorant, men and women in short, at all levels. It grows in the shadow of impunity and is enhanced by social dissimulation.

Abuse, crime, impunity, and the rupture of the social tissue have a starting point and it is very painful to see how it is affecting our children and young people. Abuse, bullying, and domestic and school violence are growing with an unstoppable impetus without anyone seeming to want to stop it. We guide this phenomenon and we have the impulse to look the other way, to pretend to have dementia and to justify that it is not up to us to solve this problem. We see it from the periphery instead of taking the bull by the horns. It is necessary to put our hands in to get the course back together.

It is up to the authorities, whether in the family, school, work, or outside it, the responsibility to take strong and effective measures in case of violence or abuse. Taking our hands out makes us accomplices, because, as the saying goes: the one who kills the cow sins as much as the one who pulls its leg. What should we do? I believe that processes are important. It is imperative to have a procedure for sensible situations so that in the case of facing a problem like this we can protect and respect human dignity. That is the most important task that we must perform in any arena that we are performing.

So, we must start with the beginning. We shall have to outset by taking the complaints seriously: The authority must listen when it learns of any allegation of abuse and make a full investigation. Minimizing incidents is not an option. It is important to take action and take immediate action to protect the victim. Of course, the logical thing that is not always done is to support the victim. Dissimulation and inaction is a form of hypocrisy that overlaps the perpetrator. The authority must provide support to the victim, either with direct advice or by referring them to professionals trained in the field. Of course, it is necessary to ensure the safety of the victim and take measures to prevent future incidents.

We ought to look at the problem in the face and raise awareness. It is the direct responsibility of the authority to open the issue in front of the community to talk about the problem openly, to inform about its effects and ways of preventing it. Educational programs can be organized with the aim of increasing awareness about bullying and how to avoid it.

Of course, impunity must end. If the abuser remains unpunished, he will do so again and will most likely raise the level of violence. Sanctions must be imposed. If someone is found to have been harassing another, the authority must impose appropriate consequences. This may include disciplinary punishments, suspension, or removal of the harasser, as well as legal action if the harassment has crossed crime lines.

Fostering a safe environment is everyone's responsibility, especially those in charge. The authority must take steps to foster a safe and respectful environment in which harassment and violence of any kind are not tolerated. This must include the implementation of policies and programs that promote inclusion, respect and diversity in the community.

Enough of disguising ourselves and giving us justifications for not feeling that we are part of the problem. It is very likely that those who read these lines have personally suffered a violent event or know someone who has suffered from abuse. Therefore, it is important that the authority takes effective measures to prevent and address these problems that break our social fabric. The bullying, the harassment, the violence must stop now. By doing so, we can help ensure that all members of the community feel safe and respected.

Within a framework of respect and protection of human dignity, it is necessary to establish an ideology and norms that regulate the attention to sensitive situations that are related to harassment, harassment, abuse, discrimination, and other behaviors that affect the coexistence of a community, whether academic, social, legal, business or of any other kind.

We need to build an institutional channel to promote respect and protection for the victim, guarantee the accompaniment of any person who is in a sensitive situation, promote a culture of peace, non-violence, and respect for human rights and disseminate so that the procedure is known and accessible to all people. What are the requirements for these channels to work correctly:

  1. Proven ability of discretion and clarity.
  2. Emotional intelligence that allows empathy, assertiveness, and objectivity.
  3. Social sensitivity.
  4. Capacity for dialogue.
  5. High ethics and morals.
  6. Ability to avoid and resist pressure not to carry out investigative acts necessary to clarify complaints.

Yes, sometimes things change, and not for the better. But if that is the case, our responsibility is to turn things to go in the correct direction. Don´t you think so?