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Description
This project addresses the issue of increasing gender-based violence in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship. Prior to the pandemic, a minimum of 57% of women are estimated to have experienced violence - usually mental abuse (53%) and physical violence (23%), but also financial and sexual abuse. Domestic violence increased significantly due to the pandemic. Women with disabilities and LGBT persons are especially at risk of violence and exclusion, while violence continues to be taboo, especially in small towns. Many people are unaware that they are victims of violence, and also do not know where to go for help. There are many shortcomings in the local violence prevention system, and it does not meet their needs. The lack of a range of psychological support measures and the criteria for eligibility for free aid disqualify many people. The Project Promoter will operate the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Women’s Help Center in Ruciane-Nida and a Consultation Point in Olsztyn. The center will provide free specialist, legal, psychological, mediation, and coaching help. Women will attend WenDo self-defense and assertiveness workshops, two Nazywam się Miliard campaigns, two 16 Days of Violence Prevention campaigns, twenty networking and empowerment meetings, and six meetings with specialists on women’s and minorities’ rights. There will also be two women’s rights campaigns. The Center Team will be trained in communication and working with violence and discrimination victims, and have a study visit to an organization in Iceland that operates an abused women shelter. The measures will primarily benefit women at risk of violence and discrimination in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship (230 people). They will be given comprehensive support, a greater sense of self-esteem and agency, assertiveness, and ability to set boundaries. They will improve their awareness of their rights and forge closer ties with each other.
Summary of project results
The project addresses the problem of increasing gender-based violence in the Warminsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship. According to pre-pandemic estimates, min. 57% of women had experienced violence - mostly psychological (53%) and physical (23%), but also economic and sexual. The pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in domestic violence. Those particularly vulnerable to violence and exclusion are women with disabilities and LGBT people. However, violence remains a taboo subject, especially in small towns. Many people are not aware that they are victims of violence, nor do they know where to go for support. The local anti-violence system contains many gaps and does not respond to their needs. There is a lack of psychological support on offer and the criteria to be met to receive free help are sometimes exclusionary for many people.
As part of the project, the Project Promoter ran the Warmia and Mazury Women''s Aid Centre in Ruciane-Nida and the Consultation Point in Olsztyn. The Centre provided free specialist assistance - legal, psychological and coaching. Five self-defence and assertiveness WenDo workshops were held - in Ełk, Koszalin and Mrągowo - attended by 61 women. The My Name is a Billion campaign and the 16 Days Against Violence campaign were also conducted. Networking and support group meetings for women were successfully established, and several meetings with specialists in the field of women''s rights and anti-violence were organised, as well as local campaigns on women''s rights.
The project created a women-friendly place where they received professional, free and comprehensive legal, psychological and coaching assistance. The centre was not limited to intervention support. Women exposed to violence and discrimination from the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship have strengthened their self-esteem and self-efficacy, developed assertiveness and the ability to set boundaries. They also raised their awareness of their rights and strengthened their bonds. There is no doubt that the project has brought together local organisations and institutions working in the field of violence prevention.