Prudencia Herrera Moltó: “With the Guardia Civil we have all the resources to get wherever we want”

Prudencia Herrera Moltó is 28 years old. Next October she will have completed six years of service for the Civil Guard in Ibiza.

What duties does she perform within the Citizen Security unit of the Guardia Civil?

Here, in Ibiza, the duties end up merging due to the lack of personnel, we are here for the protection of citizen security, patrols, and to provide service in the citizen’s attention office.

Do you come across micromachismos?

The truth is that I do not usually encounter this type of behavior in my daily work.

During your working day, have you ever received any kind of insult or offensive comments from any citizen because you are a woman?

Yes, of course, working in the street involves exposure to the opinion of the people you deal with. Insults towards female officers tend to be more specific, but end up being a consequence of the job. My colleagues also receive disrespect as officers.

Have you ever been afraid on the street?

We all come to have a little respect for some situations. Sometimes, it is not pleasant to perform in certain scenarios, but it is our job and we will always try to do it in the best way we can.

Have you ever felt harassed?

I have never had that kind of feeling. As I mentioned, in the end we are a team, there is no room for that kind of behavior.

Currently, since January 2020 the director of the Guardia Civil is María Gámez, what does it mean for the Force to have a female director for the first time?

It is significant that, after so many years of history, it is a woman at the head of this Institution. However, it seems to me more relevant to value the fact of training and dedication to this institution when choosing a representative of this rank. If a woman has proven to be the most valid, she will always have our support as a reference.

Do you believe that there should be female quotas in companies?

I believe that the most qualified personnel should be part of the company, whether they are men or women. In the end, what we are looking for are colleagues who can help us to solve daily problems with sharpness, regardless of gender.

What do you think still needs to be done to achieve equality in the workplace?

In the case of the Guardia Civil I don’t think we need to work on anything in particular, since we have all the resources we need to get wherever we want within the company.

How do you see the situation in Ibiza? Is there more machismo than in other areas of the Balearic Islands or the country?

I only know the islands of Ibiza and Formentera because of my posting, but I have not observed this type of behavior on either of them.

Do women in Ibiza have resources and tools to fight against machismo?

Of course, and specifically at a professional level we have direct communication channels with the superior in the event of an insident of machismo. The disciplinary regime condemns this type of behavior, which is dealt with forcefully.

What role do new technologies play in the occurrence of crimes of gender violence and sexual aggression?

New generations are seeing an increase in the occurrence of this type of crime through telematic means, as a simple mobile phone is the cause of many arguments between couples, triggering behaviours of control and both psychological and physical abuse in the couple. In the end, it ends up becoming a showcase where we show our lives, our relationships and our day-to-day lives, and that can never be a good thing.

From the Guardia Civil, do you work on the prevention of these crimes?

We work day by day, learning how to handle these situations. We start with prevention in schools, giving talks to children, making them see that social networks are not child’s play at all.

For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.