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Description
The project concerns the problem of gender-based violence in the Kwidzyn district. In recent years, more than one hundred Blue Cards have been created every year. In almost 40% of cases, domestic violence is emotional abuse - more often it goes unnoticed or unrecognized, or is ignored. The situation deteriorated during the Covid-19 pandemic and a time of social isolation. For a number of years, the Project Promoter operated the Ośrodek Interwencji Kryzysowej/Crisis Intervention Centre and worked with institutions working to prevent violence in Kwidzyn. It therefore realizes that there are gaps in the system. Through the project, the Project Promoter intends to strengthen the local aid system and provide victims of violence with all-embracing support. Under the project, a group of 15 women who have suffered abuse will be given personal psychological and legal support, and attend group therapy. In addition to the therapy and consultations, workshops will be conducted to improve competencies with respect to knowledge of their rights and budgeting, and other issues. Training on working in the local community and taking one’s own measures will be the last element of the project. In the training, the participants will devise and implement five miniprojects intended for the local community.These measures are intended above all to provide all-embracing support for women who are victims of abuse - to increase their self-confidence, self-esteem, and sense of agency and influence. Due to training of local female leaders, the number of women involved in community life and who influence local community policy will increase.
Summary of project results
The project is a response to the problem of gender-based violence in the Kwidzyn district. Recently, the number of Blue Cards established every year exceeds one hundred. Nearly 40% of cases of domestic violence are psychological (more often invisible, unrecognised or ignored), and in 34%, physical violence. The situation has worsened in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic and social isolation. In the past, the Project Promoter ran a Crisis Intervention Centre for several years and collaborated with anti-violence institutions in Kwidzyn city. However, there are currently many gaps in the local anti-violence programmes. The institutions of the anti-violence system find it difficult to reach people in difficult life situations. Measures are still sometimes designed in such a way that victims of violence are treated as low-powered, helpless and without influence on their life situation. This gap was filled by the Project Promoter.
As part of the project, a group of 15 women experiencing violence received individual psychological and legal support and took part in individual and group therapy. The therapy and counselling were complemented by workshops to improve the self-esteem and competences of the women (e.g. in the area of their rights, financial management, and visage). Project participants took part in a study visit to the WAGA Association in Gdańsk, which works for women and socially excluded people. The workshops on planning and implementing mini-projects resulted in 5 mini-projects addressed to the local community: the preparation of Christmas decorations, a fundraising event for a sick child, a photo session, the organisation of a Women''s Day happening, and the organisation of two training sessions for parents and young people entitled "How to talk about sexuality" in cooperation with the PONONT Group and the AKWEDUKT Association.
Above all, these activities provided comprehensive support to women after experiencing violence. Their self-esteem and readiness for autonomous self-determination, their sense of empowerment, their readiness to work on themselves, their insight into their own emotional processes and their motivation to work for the local community increased. Their leadership competences and abilities to plan and realise social activities were strengthened. The participants established cooperation with the city library, a local association and an expert organisation for sex education. Around 100 people took part in the mini-projects they designed. These activities have provided the local community with a group of socially engaged women who can influence the life of the district in the future.