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Description
In large cities such as Warsaw, there is a great deal of anonymity, often victims of violence do not have persons close to them with them, and the only witnesses of violence are neighbors and strangers. Research shows that many people are either indifferent to violence, or do not know how to react when it occurs. The project aims to combat domestic abuse by increasing public awareness and sensitivity to the problem, and improving the ability of individuals, and institutions as well, to react to violence. The main elements of the measures will be a forum theatre production (interactive performance with active audience participation) intended for the general public, i.e. people who might witness violence. The measures will conclude with a discussion about violence and how people entangled in violence can be helped. There will also be a forum theatre production for members of services and institutions that work to combat domestic abuse, such as the police, social welfare, the healthcare system, and education system. The theatre performances will be combined with training to improve violence combating skills. Almost 100 hours of psychological consultations will be available for witnesses of violence, as well as an information pack for witnesses. These activities will be conducted in Warsaw, but are intended for people who reside or work in Warsaw and the vicinity. A minimum of 250 people will take place in the project, among them 90 members of services. In total, there will be seven theatre performances, four discussions for the general public, and three training sessions for people who deal with combating domestic violence in their work.
Summary of project results
The scale of violence in Poland is illustrated by data on the Blue Card, which shows that more than 93,000 procedures were initiated in 2018. In Warsaw alone, however, the Blue Line was contacted by relatively few, around 2,000 (2019). This is because large cities are characterised by a high level of anonymity, which is not conducive to asking for help. Many people do not know how to respond to violent situations, believe it is not their role, are afraid for their own safety or have no knowledge of procedures. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem of violence. At the same time, those working in the institutions of the domestic violence prevention system lack competence-enhancing training, networking activities and measures to counteract professional burnout.
The project was primarily aimed at potential witnesses of violence and services dealing with the prevention of domestic violence, such as the Police, social welfare, counselling centres and schools, NGOs from Warsaw and the surrounding area. Its main elements were seven interactive forum theatre performances with audience participation. Four of them were open to the public (79 people) and three were aimed at representatives of services and institutions dealing with domestic violence (73 people). The performances showed the situation of people caught up in violence and the possibilities to respond and take action to stop violence. Training was also provided for professionals to improve their competencies and guidelines were developed for working with witnesses of violence. Nearly a hundred psychological consultations were also provided to witnesses and a guidebook was developed for them.
Thanks to the project, the existing offer of assistance to victims and witnesses of domestic violence was supplemented. The project has raised public awareness and sensitivity to the phenomenon of violence. Professionals working in the field of counteracting violence in Warsaw, including employees and workers of social welfare, counselling centres and schools, etc., have raised their competences in the area of cooperation and communication with witnesses. In general, the project has increased the attention of representatives of services to the role of witnesses of violence, so far usually neglected, which in the long run may bring such benefits as e.g. cooperation of citizens with services and increased effectiveness of assistance.