"We would never stop complaining, we live in constant violation": the multiple barriers to disability

BarcelonaFrom steps to enter shops, to train stations without elevators or with broken escalators, to the lack of empathy from the staff member on duty, complaints about violations of the rights of people with disabilities are on the rise, although very few of those affected decide to take the step of reporting them. This is confirmed by the latest report prepared by Ecom, the foundation that brings together organizations in the sector, which in 2024 collected 352 cases, 50% more than the previous year. "We would never stop filing complaints; we experience a constant violation of our rights," explain the people interviewed for the report that summarizes their daily lives.

According to the organization, three out of four violations originate from public bodieswhile the right to mobility, accessibility and independent living They continue to be the most affected. For the first time, the organization received reports of sexual violence, specifically six. Ecom's president, Albert Carbonell, warned this Monday at the report's presentation that inequality "is structural and persistent" and called for public policies that address solutions with a gender perspective, given that 60% of those affected are women.

At the same event, activist Maria Girbau denounced the difficulties she encounters as a regular commuter rail user. It's not just the usual architectural barriers or the lack of consideration from other passengers in offering her a seat that complicate her journeys, but now she also faces... 16 months of construction and closures on the R3 line And he doesn't know how he'll get around.

His disability "isn't visible, except for the three summer months" when he shows his legs and, therefore, encounters a certain lack of understanding from the staff. In this regard, he points out that they "don't allow him to use the platform" to access the alternative bus that runs between La Garriga and Barcelona because he doesn't use a wheelchair, even though he has obvious mobility difficulties and uses a crutch to walk. "Why don't they provide a bus that everyone can travel on?" he asks.

Accessibility for all

One of society's challenges is to make accessibility a universal value, not just for people with disabilities, emphasizes the Ecom report, which also calls for awareness training for staff who work with the public to avoid degrading situations like the one described by Raquel Almarcha, who uses a wheelchair due to an accident. "I have a wheelchair," she says. In a video, Almarcha also details how doctors address her companion when explaining diagnoses or treatments, rather than her. The report also explains the difficulties Carmen Lucía encounters when trying to open containers with broken pedals. The report also highlights underreporting: of the 352 violations recorded, only 98 resulted in an official complaint. The reason for this discrepancy is primarily "the belief that reporting won't do any good," noted Katixa Mujica, one of the report's coordinators. Ecom aims to change this. The trend, however, also acknowledges that in the year analyzed, only two of the reported cases received a response. The rest went unanswered. Nevertheless, the organization has encouraged people to make their rights violations visible in order to break the silence and help ensure that government agencies are aware of them. Ecom also warns of new forms of violations, such as unwanted loneliness and sexual violence, and calls for artificial intelligence and new technologies to be tools for inclusion, not discrimination. With more than 1,300 documented cases in five years, the organization demands coordinated action between government agencies, social organizations, and citizens to "break down barriers and create opportunities" for everyone.