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Description
This project addresses the issue of hate speech and discrimination, and violence towards women. Both of these problems are alarmingly common in Poland. Unfortunately, people who are abused are often unable to get free help. Meanwhile, hate speech is widespread and is thus becoming normalized, and society is increasing acquiescent towards hateful content. More than 95% of young people encounter hate on the Internet, and slightly fewer encounter it in conversations and public places. At the same time, education specialists do not have competencies to conduct awareness measures to counter hate speech. The Project Promoter will provide one-on-one support for abused women and prepare awareness and self-improvement measures for children and young people, teachers, and women. 120 people will benefit from a helpline, free psychological counselling and legal and therapeutic advice, and crisis support. Women at risk of violence will also have a psychoeducation and self-improvement group. Young people, including young Roma people, will participate in classes on countering hate speech, while teachers will participate in training on lessons on hate speech, on the basis of a film for children. The project is aimed mainly at abused women, but also at children and young people at risk of hate speech and encountering hateful content. 140 women will get real psychological, legal, and therapeutic support and improve belief in themselves, their self-esteem, and their sense of agency and influence, and develop conflict resolution skills. Meanwhile, children and young people will learn what hate speech and discrimination is, its consequences, and how to react to it. Teachers will improve their competencies to hold lessons on combating hate speech in schools.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of hate speech, discrimination and violence in Katowice. Both phenomena are alarmingly common in Poland. Unfortunately, people experiencing violence are often unable to access free support services. The prevalence of hate speech, on the other hand, influences its normalisation and increasing social acceptance of hateful content. More than 95% of young people encounter it on the Internet, slightly less in conversations and in public places. At the same time, pedagogues are not competent to conduct educational activities on countering hate speech.
As part of the project, the Project Promoter provided one-to-one support for women experiencing violence, educational and developmental support for children and young people with various challenges, including those in foster care, as well as support for male and female teachers working with young people. The helpline and free psychological, legal and crisis intervention consultations were used by 158 people. Women exposed to violence also took part in a psycho-education and development group and individual coaching sessions. In turn, male and female teachers participated in a training course to prepare them to teach lessons on countering hate speech based on the children''s film "How to Train Your Dragon". Supervision for staff working with children was an important part of the project. Young people participated in classes on countering hate speech, during which materials were tested.
The project primarily targeted women experiencing violence, as well as children and young people exposed to hate speech and contact with hateful content. 158 people received real psychological, legal, therapeutic support. The women strengthened their self-confidence, self-esteem, agency and influence, and developed conflict resolution skills. In practice, 12 women decided to set up a blue card for perpetrators of violence, several applied for maintenance. Children and young people learnt what hate speech is, its consequences and how to respond to it. Educational staff, in turn, improved their competences to conduct classes on countering hate speech in schools. A total of 245 people benefited from various forms of support.