Digital violence is real violence. #NoExcuse for online abuse

This 25 November, Rios Sangiao wants to join in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women because dates like this provide an opportunity to raise awareness among the general public about issues such as human rights, sustainable development, health and gender-based violence.

Despite the progress made in recent years, gender-based violence is still one of the most widespread and generalised human rights violations in the world. Almost one in three women have been victims of physical and/or sexualviolence at least once in their lives, which makes it necessary to raise awareness of this problem, accept it as a reality in our society and take the necessary measures to eradicate it.

This year, the theme for 2025 is "UNITE to end digital violence against women and girls".

This year, the campaign for the Day Against Gender Violence focuses on the digital environment. Gender-based violence on online platforms is a serious and rapidly growing threat due to weak technological regulation, a lack of legal recognition of this type of aggression in some countries, the impunity of platforms due to their delocalisation, new and rapid forms of abuse using AI, movements opposed to gender equality, the anonymity of aggressors and the lack of support for digital victims.

Forms of harassment or abuse on digital platforms include:

• Misuse of images or non-consensual sharing of intimate images, often referred
  to as revenge porn or nude leaks.
• Cyberbullying, trolling, and online threats.
• Online harassment and sexual harassment;
• Falsification of images using artificial intelligence (AI): sexually explicit
  images, fake pornography, and digitally manipulated images, videos, or
  audio recordings;
• Hate speech and disinformation on platforms;
• Doxing: publication of private information;
• Hate speech and misinformation on platforms;
• Online harassment, surveillance or tracking to monitor a person's
  activities;
• Online sexual recruitment and exploitation;
• Identity theft;
• Misogynistic networks, such as the macho sphere or incel forums;

These acts are often not limited to digital environments, but are also reproduced in physical environments in the form of coercion, abuse and even femicide.

At Rios Sangiao, in addition to joining the United Nations Organisation to raise awareness of this problem, we have implemented training on equality for our staff and middle management. We also have a specific protocol for dealing with cases of gender-based violence.

This protocol designates a person within the company who is responsible for managing cases of harassment and establishes the means for processing complaints, defining the maximum time frames for each of the management phases, which include investigating the facts, auditing the people involved,
generating a report and making decisions based on the conclusions.

We are convinced that if we all take a clear stand against this problem, we will reduce cases of violence and harassment and move towards a more just and equal society.

2025 saw the introduction of smart tachographs, and it is clear that 2026 will also be a year of change. The increase in load capacity to 44 tonnes, which will be implemented at the beginning of the new year, is in addition to the change we are bringing you today: the definitive implementation of the eCMR.

What CMR is?

Until now, all international transport must carry the CMR, which is a standardised and official physical consignment note for transport between countries that are signatories to the Geneva Convention. This document contains information about the shipment: who is transporting what, for whom, from where and to where, and under what conditions.

What does the eCMR contribute?

The novelty for the coming year is that, according to EU Regulation 2020/1056, European authorities are obliged to accept and recognise the electronic information included in the eCMR. This will lead to the widespread use of this electronic document, saving management time in transport departments and inspection time for the authorities during transit. Using a QR code, all documentation is centralised and available, reducing the risk of loss and penalties, while also complying with eFTI standards.

In addition, this document contains the traceability of each action related to the cargo, with everything recorded in an instantaneously accessible and tamper-proof event log.

In our case of transporting liquid foodstuffs, it can provide additional information that guarantees the safety and traceability of the transport through information on transport temperatures, seals, and the condition of the cargo through documentation or images.

This document has been signed by more than 34 countries, most of which have ratified it, meaning that it has full legal recognition. The signatory countries have expressed their commitment to the document, but its use may be subject to limitations (such as in Italy, Portugal, Turkey, or Azerbaijan). Ireland, Bosnia, and Albania are countries that would be outside the agreement.

It is important to note that if a route crosses a non-signatory country, the eCMR has no legal validity and must be accompanied by a consignment note for that particular section.

Another step forward in 2026 to make us more competitive and efficient.