Tenerife's Island-Wide Nightlife Anti-Harassment Program Nears Completion

Tenerife's island-wide effort to prevent sexual harassment in nightlife is now almost complete. With Santa Cruz de Tenerife joining soon and La Laguna already asking to be part of it, the program will cover all the island's main cities. This marks a significant step in the Cabildo's strategy to combat gender-based violence in entertainment venues.

This program, or 'protocol', started eight months ago in Arona, Adeje, and Puerto de la Cruz – Tenerife's main tourist areas. Patricia León, the island's director for Equality and Diversity, has praised its progress, stating it now achieves complete island coverage. The initiative, launched by the Cabildo's Equality and Diversity department, aims to create ways to spot, report, and act on any harassment or aggression in nightclubs, pubs, terraces, and party spots. It also seeks to strengthen teamwork between public institutions and private businesses.

So far, staff at nine initial venues in the south and north of the island have received specific training from local council experts. These pioneering establishments include Blanco Bar, Monkey Beach Club, Babylon Disco Gay Pub, Magnum Pub, The Roof Bar, Pez Gordo, Restensur, and the Achaman nightclub. They have all committed to training their teams and offering support to potential victims. While no incidents have been reported to date, the current phase focuses on checking how well the measures put in place since the last quarter of 2025 are working. However, Ms. León noted that they still aim to expand the number of participating venues in Arona and Adeje.

The need for this program is clear when looking at reports like the Acosex study. This report, created by the University of La Laguna and supported by Santa Cruz City Council, found that 57% of women have experienced some form of "normalised" sexual violence in nightlife, but only 8% report it. This highlights how important it is to act directly in social settings to create safer environments. Patricia León stressed that the protocol doesn't just offer clear and effective ways to respond; it also prioritises the protection and well-being of individuals.

The program includes an awareness campaign in several languages (Spanish, English, and German) to reach both locals and tourists. There will also be a guide with specialised resources, and a direct line of communication will be set up with security forces, the Cabildo's special services, and local councils. This program is voluntary and open to all nightlife venues on the island. The goal is for this initial network to grow, become stronger, and serve as a model for the rest of the Canary Archipelago.

For the current year, video training will be introduced to complement in-person sessions, making it easier for more industry professionals to take part. Additionally, the successful multi-language poster campaign from summer 2025 will be reissued.

A recent meeting of the Island Equality Board not only checked on this program's progress but also helped improve how different towns work together on equality policies. At this forum, they discussed initiatives such as the Plan for the Prevention of Gender Violence in Adolescents and the "III Tenerife Violeta Strategic Framework." This framework is a plan collectively designed by 114 public and private groups to tackle new challenges in equality and discrimination. Representatives from 23 of the island's 31 municipalities attended, and they also addressed grant applications for 2026.