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Description
This project addresses the problem of increasing gender-based violence and insufficient support for abused women in the Lubuskie region. Since 2015, the government has been taking measures to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on Violence in the name of the fight against gender ideology. The Domestic Violence Act is not properly enforced, and the drop in the number of Blue Card procedures being conducted, low crime reporting rate, or lack of competencies of services are just a few examples. One interesting example is the new Isolation Act, which allows an abuser to be removed from premises immediately – in the first few months since it took effect, it has been used in the Lubuskie region only in a few cases. Moreover, for political reasons, the government has stopped funding for some CSOs that assist abused woman professionally. The Project Promoter will address the shortcomings in the local violence prevention system and provide fee legal advice and psychological and therapeutic counseling for victims of gender-based violence and discrimination. In addition, it will produce and publish a legal newsletter with details of laws, templates for documents, and addresses of support institutions, which will be circulated to institutions fighting violence. Two programs monitoring enforcement of the law, including the violence reporting rate, and enforcement of the Isolation Act will be conducted. Primarily, women and people experiencing violence and discrimination (600 people) will benefit, who will receive emergency assistance and support in regaining stability. The local violence prevention system will be streamlined and the rate of reporting of violence and completed Blue Card procedures will increase. Institutions fighting violence (municipal social welfare centers - MOPs, Interdisciplinary Team, police) will improve their knowledge of perpetrator isolation procedures.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of increasing gender-based violence and the lack of adequate support for women experiencing violence in Lubuskie. Since 2015, the state authorities, in the name of the so-called "fight against gender ideology," have sought to denounce the Istanbul Convention. The Law on Counteracting Domestic Violence is not reali zed reliably, as evidenced, for example, by the decreasing number of Blue Card procedures implemented, the low reporting rate of crimes or the incompetence of services. An interesting example of change is the "isolation law" allowing the immediate removal of the perpetrator of violence from the apartment - in the first months after its entry into force it was applied in Lubuskie only in a few cases. Moreover, for political reasons, the authorities withheld funding for some NGOs professionally helping women experiencing violence.
The Project Promoter filled a gap in the local anti-violence system by providing free legal and psychological assistance to people experiencing violence and gender discrimination. In addition, a legal guide with descriptions of regulations, sample letters, and addresses of help desks was developed and distributed to institutions involved in countering violence. A total of 635 people, mainly women, received support. As part of the project, an open day, an information meeting and a webinar were held to draw attention to the problems of victims of violence and the current legislation, contacts were established with organizations, associations and institutions such as OPS, MOPS, etc.
The project primarily benefited women and people experiencing violence and discrimination, who received intervention assistance and support in recovering from the experience of violence. The local anti-violence system was improved, the availability of counseling for female residents of the province increased. Institutions dealing with the issue received substantive support.