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Description
There is a small number of organizations in the Czech Republic that focus on working with perpetrators of violent crime, including domestic and gender-based violence. Organizations working on this topic focus on helping victims. It is undeniable that they need their help. But the perpetrator alone will not change.
If we want to achieve change in the solution and prevention of domestic and gender-based violence, it is necessary to pay attention to and develop support also with a perpetrator of a violent situation. This view is in line with strategic documents at the national level on this topic. It is also based on a number of foreign experiences, especially in the Nordic countries, where this work already has a history that confirms these views.
Your Choice is the only organization in the South Bohemian Region that provides services to violent people. It has a sophisticated conceptual program, which has been implemented since 2015. The success rate of clients completing it is higher than 90%. The capacities that the organization currently offers for the entire territory of the South Bohemian Region are very low and can accommodate 30-40 clients a year, and are concentrated mainly in the regional city. As part of the project, Your Choice will employ two new therapists and one social worker, who will also increase qualification for this specific job thanks to the project. The capacity of the program will be increased and the organization will work with another 50 clients a year. At least 75 more clients will be able to complete the program during the project.
The project will be implemented in the district towns of the region and thus made available to the clients. Thanks to the planned publicity, the information about the project will reach a number of organizations and institutions, thus enabling clients to access the project. Personal meetings (round tables and meetings), which are more efficient for passing on information, will be implemented.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the fact that there is violence in close relationships, and that perpetrators of such violence need professional help. Help for this target group is less accessible, therefore the goal of the project was to increase the personnel capacity of the workers. The challenge was educating the professional public - introducing the concept and the necessity of working with the target group and then establishing cooperation to involve clients in the therapeutic program.
The project had four activities - direct work with perpetrators of domestic and gender-based violence, project management, project publicity and development of the organization''s personnel capacities. Management was important for smooth running. The publicity of the project was needed to spread information about the project, to spread awareness about the needs of working with this target group and to establish cooperation with representatives of organizations and institutions in individual district towns. Strengthening of personnel and professional capacity was needed for direct work with the target group, the aim of which was to increase the annual capacity of the program. A total of 75 clients completed the therapy program during the project. The cooperation took place without complications, and project promoter''s capacity was fully utilized and filled.
Personnel capacity (3 new jobs) and professional competences (5 trained workers) were increased, so it was possible to increase the existing capacity of the therapeutic program (75 clients) and increase the availability of the program (5 cities in the South Bohemian Region). The professional public was informed about the project and the need to work with the target group - 14 round tables were held, attended by 173 experts, 41 other ongoing meetings, websites and social networks were created. The project provided greater availability of help for the perpetrators of violent behavior and contributes in the long term to comprehensive assistance, solutions and prevention of domestic and gender-based violence. Project informed the professional public about the topic and its necessity. It was possible to establish functional and long-term cooperation with organizations and institutions in the region.