Description
The project responds to an absence of services based on the principles of self-help and strengthening the competences of the victims of domestic and sexual violence.It addresses this lack by establishing self-help groups,therapy groups,and group meetings of an educational nature for victims.It provides support through professional social work counseling and information materials for victims and their loved ones.The goals are to inform the public about this issue and increase expertise of providers the services by sharing the Norwegian partner's best practices with them and educating our staff.
Summary of project results
We designed the project, based on domestic and international research into the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence (DV/SV), to facilitate access to professional services and reduce violence. We directly aided victims throughout the region through a space where they, their children and other loved ones find information and share experiences. We provided high-quality counseling, minimizing retraumatization and resolving our clients‘ situations. We developed staff capacities and shared good practices with The Norwegian Foundation Against Sexual Abuse (FMSO). Visiting 10+ Norwegian organizations inspired us, providing feedback about how burdened and undervalued the Czech nonprofit sector is. Given that discussion of DV/SV remains taboo in Czech society, we also did outreach. We expanded regional accessibility of counseling to DV/SV victims, meeting demand that previously exceeded capacity. Our accessible counseling minimized retraumatization. Our free legal aid and children’s clinical psychologist would not ordinarily have been affordable for our clients and supported addressing their situations. We were also a place for them to develop their capabilities through empowerment. The competences they aquired developed their capabilities in their private and professional lives. Group work was a source of strength for our clients, who developed their knowledge, integrated their trauma and stabilized their situations. They developed interpersonal skills and rid themselves of their feelings of dependency. The group character of the activities prompted their need to talk, including publicly, while our media campaign promoted a change in stereotypical attitudes and public condemnation of violence. By informing our region about DV/SV, we increased sensitivity to the consequences of violence.
Summary of bilateral results
A part of our bilateral collaboration with the FMSO we greatly appreciate their openness and willingness to share good practices with us in work with victims of domestic and sexual violence, to familiarize us with specific work approaches and the overall philosophy of service provision based on self-help and empowerment. Thanks to their responsible and diligent approach to implementing our one-week study stay in Norway, we have the opportunity to visit 10 institutions and organizations working with the same target group. Representatives of Persefona had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the approaches taken by health care professionals, social, police and court services in Norway, as well as the ways the topic of sexual violence is presented to the public. The opportunity to get to know a specific environment and to soak up the atmosphere not just of these organizations, but also how Norwegian society approaches this issue was very inspiring for us. Thanks to the philosophy of the centers supervised by FMSO that focus on self-help and empowerment, we had the opportunity together with the representative of FMSO, Linda Bakke, to address how to set up a self-help group. This contributed to our formulation of our approach to and implementation of that activity The most significant benefit of our bilateral collaboration was the opportunity to undertake the study stay abroad, as our staffers got a new perspective on service provision and on how to approach clients.