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Description
This project addresses the problem of gender-based violence in Sądecczyzna. Each year in Poland, approximately 90 000 people experience various forms of domestic violence, and more than 70% are women. However, the statistics do not show the true scale of the problem. The subject of domestic violence continues to be taboo, and is subject to many myths and stereotypes, and thus people who experience violence do not report it to the relevant institutions for a long time and do not seek help. Witnesses do not react. There are shortcomings in the local violence prevention system, for example social welfare centres create considerably fewer Blue Cards than the scale of the problem would suggest, and the legal aid available does not include domestic violence cases. To date, there is no specialist centre dealing with prevention of violence in the county. A Specialist Abused Women Aid Center will be created to provide comprehensive support – psychological, legal, and therapeutic. The Project Promoter will conduct an awareness campaign for women who might use the Center, and three public campaigns will be held on gender stereotypes and prevention of violence towards women; one element of the campaign will be a spot asking people to react to violence. The Project Promoter will also organize two self-defence courses for women. The know-how developed in running the Center will be described in a report and presented at a conference attended by local authorities and institutions working to prevent violence. Approximately 140 abused women from Sądecczyzna will benefit – women using the Center will be given comprehensive crisis support. Necessary forms of support will be provided in addition to the local violence prevention system. The subject of domestic violence will be raised in public debate, and public awareness of the problem and competencies to react to violence will improve.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of gender violence in Sądecczyzna region. Every year in Poland, about 90,000 people suffer various forms of domestic violence, and more than 70% of the victims are women. However, statistics do not show the real scale of the phenomenon. Violence in the family is still a taboo subject, there are a lot of myths and stereotypes around it, as a result of which people experiencing violence do not report it to the appropriate institutions for a long time and do not seek help, while witnesses and witnesses - do not react. The local system of counteracting violence contains gaps - e.g., Social Security offices set up far fewer Blue Cards than the scale of the problem would indicate, and the legal assistance offered does not cover cases related to domestic violence. There is not a single specialized center dealing with the problem of countering violence in the Nowosadecki district.
The project established a Specialized Center for Women Experiencing Violence offering comprehensive support - psychological, therapeutic and legal. The Project Promoter conducted an information campaign targeting potential clients of the Center, as well as three social campaigns on gender stereotypes and countering violence against women; one element of the campaign was a spot encouraging people to respond to violence. The Project Promoter also organized several editions of a self-defense, assertiveness and boundary-setting course, attended by a total of 61 women. The experience of the Center''s operation was described in a report and presented at a conference with local authorities and anti-violence institutions.
A total of 151 women experiencing violence from the Sadecki region benefited from the assistance - the clients of the Center received comprehensive support in crisis situations and became more aware of their rights. The subject of domestic violence has entered the social debate, social awareness of the problem has been raised, and the competence to respond to violence has increased. The local anti-violence system has been supplemented with needed forms of support.