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Description
This project addresses the issue of abuse of women, including young women with disabilities in the county of Nowosądecki. Gender-based violence is common and can happen to anyone regardless of age or material standing. The pandemic exacerbated the problem - there are twice as many requests for help than prior to the pandemic. Meanwhile, violence victims have limited options for getting support. The local violence prevention system is underfunded and does not provide adequate, comprehensive help. The most recent monitoring confirmed a number of shortcomings and irregularities in Blue Card procedures in the Małopolski voivodship. The Project Promoter will take aid and awareness-raising measures. 45 abused women will receive legal advice and psychological counselling. The Project Promoter will also hold twenty meetings for women, including training on human rights or for instance psychotherapy workshops, fifty art therapy workshops, and three self-defence training sessions. A conference on abuse of women will be held for local authorities and specialists in law, psychology, sociology, the judiciary, representatives of aid institutions, and the media. Campaigns will also be aimed at the local community. This will include exhibitions of works of workshop female participants, performances, and events in shopping centres. The Project Promoter will also issue a brochure on gender-based violence.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the problem of violence against women, including young women and women with disabilities, in the Novosadecki district. Gender-based violence is a widespread phenomenon and can affect anyone, regardless of age or material status. During the pandemic, the problem intensified - requests for help were more than twice as many as before the pandemic. However, victims of violence had limited options for support. The local anti-violence system has been underfunded for years and does not offer sufficient, comprehensive assistance. There are still many deficiencies and irregularities in the conduct of the Blue Card procedure in Malopolska voivodeship.
As part of the project, the Project Promoter undertook outreach and educational activities. 45 women experiencing violence benefited from legal and psychological consultations. Various meetings were held for women, including human rights training, art therapy workshops, self-defense training. Local authorities, specialists and specialists in law, psychology, representatives and representatives of aid institutions and the media were invited to a conference (discussion forum) on the issue of violence against women. The project also included 5 awareness-raising actions aimed at the local community, including two exhibitions of works by workshop participants, a concert and public actions to publicize the problem of violence. The Project Promoter also published a brochure on gender violence.
Thanks to the project, 45 women experiencing violence from Nowy Sącz and municipalities in the Nowy Sącz district, including young women and women with disabilities, received real legal and psychological support, raised their knowledge of human rights and awareness of their rights. The participants strengthened their self-confidence, raised their sense of self-esteem, agency and influence, developed assertiveness and the ability to set boundaries. The project filled a gap in the local offer of assistance to women experiencing violence. The topic of gender-based violence has also become present in the local public space of Nowy Sącz and the surrounding area.