Women Support Centers (530)
Women Support Center these are the branches of the Fund “Sukhumi” in Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Terjola, Senaki, Poti, Khurcha / Koki (Zugdidi Municipality), Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, created since 2009. The centers are designed to strengthen women, provide social, psychological, legal assistance to women - victims of violence and to crisis families in a difficult life situation. They promote to the protection of women's rights and ensure their socio-psychological rehabilitation.
On May 20-21 the meetings were held in two villages of Zugdidi municipality – Orsantia and Akhalkakhati. The topic of meetings – gender violence and domestic violence. The participants were given the booklets and two video clips wee shown. The meetings were held in frames of small project of Khurcha/Koki Women Support Center with the aim of violence prevention.
The beneficiaries in Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskaltubo, Zugdidi, Poti and Senaki continue to receive individual psychotherapeutic consultation on various issues: interpersonal conflicts, stress, chronic fatigue, personal crisis, low self-evaluation, apathy, trauma of losing a loved person.
The work is carried out on psycho-therapy with married couples on the problem of dependence on the totalizator, the conflict on the basis of jealousy, as well as the drunkenness of her husband.
A group meeting was held in Senaki with parents of problem children – the work with them will continue. In Kakhati (Zugdidi municipality) there was also a meeting with a group of IDPs - the main problem is connected with difficult social and housing conditions.
In addition, 6 phone consultations and 7 consultations via Skype took place.
The Women Support Centers, working in 9 municipalities of Western Georgia, conduct a monthly monitoring of violence. In May, 10 cases of violence were identified and the relevant questionnaires were filled.
Most of identified cases relate to psychological and physical violence. One woman was re-addressed to local self-government to receive a single assistance. Lawyers carried out consultations for three women, a group of psychologists also works with three newly identified victims.
All meetings are important - with questions, problems, advices from mobilizers. Main topics are: violence against women / in the family; ruling the family conflicts; support from the side of law; arresting and protective mechanisms.
Mobilizers of 9 Women Support Centers of the Fund "Sukhumi" conducted 27 information and mobilization meetings with the population of towns and villages, with women and youth, in collective centers, in Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Terjola, Senaki, Poti, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti municipalities. Participants of the meetings will learn about the legislative framework and support of the fund “Sukhumi” in the process of violence prvenetion.
In frames of small project of Khoni Women Support Center, a workshop was held in Kukhi on: "Bullying and Domestic Violence". During the workshop there was a discussion regarding the types of bullying, statistics of domestic violence, types of violence, concrete examples. Representatives of the rural administration, teachers, representatives of the medical sphere, school pupils took part in the workshop. Such meetings are held with the aim of preventing bullying and violence.
- What is the link between gender violence and family conflicts. Is this the object of discrimination or not? and what preventive mechanisms should be introduced - discussions on these issues were held in Tskaltubo, Kutaisi and Terjola at the workshops with young people.
With the help of a social video, the participants saw the real picture in terms of gender equality in Georgia - this gave them motivation, to be actively involved in the discussion and to think about ways out.
A small project of Senaki Women Support Center continues. Three activities were held in May:
A workshop with women, living in the village Teklati on "Violence against women and domestic violence, prevention and existing stereotype approaches" was held in the rural administration building.
An information meeting was held in Senaki representation of Social Services Agency, the parties got acquainted with the program, supporting the crisis families and consultative services of the Women Support Center.
A meeting was also held with a lawyer-consultant. The topic of conversation was "Georgian Law on the Elimination of Domestic Violence / Violence Against Women, Protection and Assistance to Victims ".and mechanisms of protection.
In frames of the small project of Poti Women Support Center, a meeting was held at school #29. A psychologist and conflictologist of the fund “Sukhumi” were invited to the meeting. They discussed various topics with young people: healthy lifestyle, conflict between young people, and bullying. The participants received answers to many questions.
Gender violence, discrimination – discussions on these issues were held with young people during the workshops in Poti, Lanchkhuti and Khoni.
Participants discussed the model of Georgian family. They talked about the facts when equality is violated, and when a woman becomes an object of violence.
Young people believe that according to social stereotypes a man is a dominant, and this contributes to the development of conflicts in the family.
In their opinion, informing is one of the mechanisms for overcoming the problem, and therefore they give particular importance to meetings.
Conflict management using methods of effective communication - these issues were discussed at workshops organized in Tskaltubo, Kutaisi and Terjola. Participants heard information about the importance of communication in conflict situations. They fixed their own positions - what helps, and what hinders in effective communication. Workshops were interesting - it was shown by the involvement and activity of the participants.