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Description
Raciąż is a town of several thousand residents which has been shocked by three domestic-abuse-related killings in recent years. The percentage of lower secondary school pupils who have suffered violence is as high as 20%, and of those who have witnessed it – a little higher. The number of reported incidents of domestic abuse and families in the Blue Card system is increasing. The situation deteriorated drastically during the pandemic, but domestic violence continues to be taboo. The project is intended to fill the gaps in the local violence prevention system. This system does not provide awareness-raising measures and does not commence initiatives intended for young people. The Project Promoter will produce plans for meetings on recognizing and preventing violence, and next will conduct 8 workshops of this kind. A videoblog will be created with videos advising on how to react to violence and where to seek support. An awareness-raising campaign will be conducted in the local media. 15 people who have suffered abuse will receive psychological and therapeutic counselling, and legal advice. Children, young people at school, and adults at risk of abuse will attend 4 therapeutic workshops. Women and girls will also be given self-defense classes. The Project Promoter will provide training for people working in the violence prevention system (for instance at a municipal social welfare center or in the police) and for teachers. The measures will be useful above all for the residents of Raciąż and the Płońsk district, especially children and young people, and adults who suffer abuse. The project is also intended to enhance the local violence prevention system with respect to communication and cooperation between institutions. The Municipal Social Welfare Centre will be a partner in the project – this is an institution with the greatest knowledge of the scale of the problem of violence in the region. The partner will help the Project Promoter reach the target group.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the problem of increasing gender-based violence in the Płońsk poviat. Raciąż is a town of several thousand inhabitants, which in recent years has been shaken by three murders related to domestic violence. As many as 20% of primary school pupils have experienced violence and even more have witnessed it. The number of reported incidents of domestic violence and families subject to the Blue Card procedure is increasing. The situation worsened dramatically during the pandemic, but domestic violence remains a taboo subject. At the same time, the local system of preventing violence contains gaps, as it does not offer educational activities or initiatives aimed at young people.
As part of the project, the project promotor conducted 8 workshops on recognising and preventing violence for various people - children, youth and adults. Children also took part in 4 art therapy workshops. There was also a video blog created with instructional videos on how to respond to violence and where to look for support. People experiencing violence benefited from individual psychological, therapeutic and legal consultations (80 hours). Two self-defence courses for women and girls were also organised . People working in the violence prevention system (including MOPS, the Police, the Board of Education, the Court teachers took part in dedicated workshops. The project partner was the Municipal Social Welfare Centre, which works with people experiencing violence on a daily basis.
The project was to a large extent preventive and empowering. The activities mainly benefited people living in Raciąż and Płońsk poviat, especially children and young people and adults experiencing or exposed to violence, as well as professionals. Those attending the meetings learned how to recognise and react to violence. A total of 19 people received specific individual support through consultations. The project has undoubtedly complemented the local violence prevention system with preventive and educational activities.