movement is beginning FAIRBAIRN reports from Bilbao.
CAL ELEu ProsT of the "red-light" district of BIlbaO WEnE demonstrated in thestreets with TUCHO SO AOBCESEO and supporters COPEL (Commitios Strigele). A youne woman had been burned to dearb in her bed in prison in circumciances thar have still not been properly claritied.
The prostitutes argued that she should never bave been in prison — abe bad been arrested on a minor shop-bfting offence held because she was a prostitute" dencunced police herassment and called for the repealing of the "Ley de Peligrosidad Social" ELaw or Soci und Voral Dangerl, s catch-alt law which covers the persecution of gays pot-smokers and ausone eise Suspected behaviour.
Perhaps rhe most important developmients taken place in the province of The womens movement got off to a slower start in the Basque country than in other industrial areas, notably Barcelona and Madrid. However there have been some signs in the last couple of months that this new catch ap. FRED Guipuzcoa. Alter a number of rapes and assauils on women in the suburbs of Renteria, demonstration was called in the town. This drow some 6,000 people, maitly women, of all social types and ages, despite the fact that the Civil Governar had refused his permission for the march. The demonstrators ment in the dilapidated state of the suburbs.
SOCCKIY provision of adequate streel lighting PATROLS They However Lhe nat content to leave matters there uncil all these problems were solved. In Ihe micantime they convinced the neighbourhund association of Galaxaraburda district to organise its own scal parrots. operate fram 5-7.30 morning and 8-10 and 10-12 a: have sigh..
R has also taken steps to see that all women going to work in the morning when it is dark form up in groups and go Similar weTe aiso deciccd upon In anther suburb, Berami, DISREPAIR Tus moyemeni converged with that protesting disrepair anc Tack of amenities IE Tbe tovo A lales sirike dus hegen, and on 5 Februaty there wis a 10,000 strong demonstration.
Neurhy, demonstration was convened by the residents association of Egma (San Schastian). Despite appelling weather, about 3,000 people turled out. Here top a call was nade women were pickers. Anther proposal was to genounce spocilie altempl: i rape oe assauit. not just to Ine POnEC. •DUT ry-posting and wall-painting campaigns. nasing where possible.
These will On the industrial front the in the situation is more varied. When tle Juree fint declared redundancies hmong force immediately, measures donle.
Ien, independentiy. solidarity:
DOW strik- in SERCH SAICDE the streels in support strike romains anther anti-rape SETBACKS for the of self-delence by massive JD list order Danles ol Echevarria problemas, The wonen related lo these men began no organise Bilak just as their sisters at Babcock-Wilcox had The women have not simply trailed along behind the have organised to promore Soon after this wornen came to the forciront in a cleaners Vizcaya. Large contingents composed mainty ef wormen have swept through of thei! pay-and-conditions claim, the solid ar il approaches ibs third week.
However theee have been some serbacks. At Cranefisa -a firm of about 500 workers threatened with lay-offs mass meeting decided tha: it these materialised, the first to gu shoule be marnied women, single women, and young men, Although there ace wuren's shoo ide wenst int women:
which bas been matched by a low level of union membership among women.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE & March 1978 page 12