Lithuania
Practice 1
practice 1
WOMEN CRISIS CENTRE, KEDAINIAI.
Rita Stakniuniene
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3 calls: HEAR, FEEL, DARE to do
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KÄ—dainiai District Women's Crisis Centre team (employees and volunteers) is implementing a preventive initiative against violence against women.
Why are those 3 calls in the title? According to statistics, one in three women in Lithuania or 3 in ten women experience domestic violence. These figures only confirm that the most unsafe place for women is, unfortunately, their home (immediate environment).
Why HEAR, FEEL, DEAR? Ten years of experience in the crisis centre show that the majority of women do not treat the mistreatment of those around them as a manifestation of violence, but as unfavourable circumstances, a sequence of bad events or the prevailing attitudes of society. Unable and unwilling to acknowledge that inappropriate behaviour of loved ones, often psychological, physical, financial or sexual violence, women are reluctant to analyse events, try to forget everything more quickly, do not seek help, avoid the intervention of others and do not even think about resisting such behaviour. It is this fact that has led the team of the Women's Crisis Centre to take preventive, educational activities, gather women for conversations, discussions, activities, at the same time provide useful information and get acquainted with the activities of the Women's Crisis Centre, build trust in such organizations, promote the search for solutions.
As part of the initiative, we aim to make the meetings more than just business information about violence, which is often viewed with great scepticism, perhaps even with resistance, but as an attractive activity that promotes self-confidence and confidence in the crisis team.
Initiators - crisis centre specialists (psychologist, social worker) who can convey knowledge about violence, able to work with a group and moderate discussion, and Women's Crisis Centre volunteers who develop dialogue, warm the atmosphere through creative or artistic activities, cultivate women's self-confidence and a trusting team that you can turn to for help in a crisis situation or thinking about changes in your personal life. The large team of volunteers of the centre (20 women), the rich range of personal experiences and hobbies of the women volunteers, provide an opportunity during the initiative meetings not only to carry out artistic, self-development, beauty, etc. activities, but at the same time to share personal experiences, experiences of often violent relationships.
We implement the initiative in small women's groups (communities, work groups, gatherings of women with common interests, etc.), without emphasizing that the activities are aimed at the prevention of violence against women. The centre has many years of experience and it has revealed that women who experience violence and do not tell anyone about it avoid any conversation about the violence because of fear that their situation or personal experience will be identified. Women are invited to the initiative meetings in a group of like-minded people, to get acquainted with the team of the Women's Crisis Centre, the activities carried out by the center, and volunteering opportunities.
The initiative was launched on 15/08/2020. Operations have been suspended due to the state of emergency in the country and the imposition of universal quarantine. Activities are currently continuing, with one meeting scheduled every three months.