EUROPEAN COMMISSION – JUSTICEEXCHANGE OF GOOD PRACTICES ON GENDER EQUALITY

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AWARENESS - RAISING ACTIVITIES TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS IN GREECE

LONDON, 7 - 8 FEBRUARY 2012

THEODORA KATSIVARDAKOUHEAD OF THE DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL POLICYGENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR GENDER EQUALITY

MINISTRY OF INTERIOR - GREECE

Violence against Women

An obstacle to the achievement of

•development •peace •gender equality•social cohesion

The prevention and combating of all forms of violence against women is one of the 4 strategic goals of the

National Programme for Gender Equality 2010 - 2013

The facts

• 2007-2009: 44 women victims of homicide by a spouse or partner; 12% of the total number of homicides

• 1 in 3 women victims of domestic violence went on to marry the perpetrator even after having received abuse prior to the marriage

• 2 in 3 women victims of domestic violence remain in the abusive relationship for over 10 years.

«National Programme for Combating Violence against Women 2010-2013»

• legislative measures to strengthen the institutional framework

• actions to prevent the phenomenon and assist victims

SOS Helpline

• Operation of the SOS Helpline since March 2011

• Nationwide; providing direct counseling for women victims of violence 24 hours a day / 365 days a year

• The Helpline SOS 15900 received 3,938 calls between 11/3/2011 and 11/1/2012.

• 2,957 (77% of total) complaints related to gender violence cases, of this number, 84% related to cases of domestic violence by a spouse / partner

Counseling Centers• Creation of fourteen (14) Counseling Centers of GSGE; one (1) in

the main seat of each Greek Region, plus one in the city of Piraeus. • Creation of twenty seven (27) Counseling Centers in the 27

largest Municipalities. • Budget per center: €300,000 for 3-year operation• The Counseling Centers provide frontline services, responding to

the need for emergency assistance to women victims of violence

Shelters• 20 Shelters in the largest Municipalities of the country • Capacity of each shelter: 20 women with their children • Budget per shelter: €700,000 for 3-year operation • Respond to the need for direct assistance or accommodation for women victims of violence• Operate in conjunction with the GSGE Counseling Centers

Services Provided

• Psychosocial support • Legal counseling • Accommodation• Legal aid in collaboration with local Bar

Associations

Training Professionals • Counselors:

- an initial 30-hour training on psychosocial support and legal counseling with a gender perspective.

- Continuing education on a monthly basis for one year

• Police:- 209 police officers via 12 seminars on gender

violence• Hospitals:

- 29 male and female nurses via 2 seminars on gender violence

Awareness Raising CampaignKey priorities and aims of our campaign:• To publicly denounce violence against women as a violation of women’s human rights

• To raise awareness on violence against women and encourage every citizen to challenge it

• To widely disseminate information on existing structures and measures aimed at the protection of women victims

Awareness Raising Campaign

• TV and radio spots • Printed material (leaflet, posters,

stickers)• Info booth• Conferences

Period of implementation: April 2011 –April 2013

Slogan

SOS Helpline logo

* In Greek and in 3 foreign languages

Awareness Raising Campaign

Target Groups

Women victims of gender-based violence

Professionals handling cases of violence against women (psychologists, social workers, lawyers, police officers, doctors, etc.)

Society as a whole (women and men of all ages and backgrounds)

Awareness Raising Campaign

*a 350-page Guide on the provision of counseling services and support structure operations

* a 90-page Handbook of counseling specifically on sexual harassment in the workplace

Target group:• professionals of psychosocial support & legal counseling

who deal with women victims of gender violence

Presented at a Conference: • 30 September 2011, 350 participants

Downloads from site: 140 per item

Counseling Methodology – Presentation Conference

Awareness Raising Campaign

«For the last Time» 35’’ On air: March - June 2011

Awareness Raising Campaign

Awareness Raising Campaign

«This is where she hurt herself» 45’’ On air: November 2011- January 2012

Awareness Raising Campaign

Participation in the 15th Biennale of Young ArtistsAwareness Raising Campaign

1st Panorama of Films on Violence Against WomenAwareness Raising Campaign

Presentations to Schools & Students • Approximately 10 presentations a year to

schools and high-school classes• Open discussion on gender violence & gender

equality issues

• 5-6 programmes• Budget : €70,000 each • Subjects:

– Counseling of women victims of violence– Raising social awareness– Training professionals

NGO funding for Programmes/initiatives on combating Violence against Women

Funding

• NSRF: Operational Programme «Administrative Reform 2007-2013»

• Priority Axis III «Strengthening gender equality policies across the breadth of public administration»

• Activities Category 3.2.3 «Strengthening the activities of Public Administration and Local Government for the benefit of women and combating violence»

• Campaign Budget: €543,000

Cost of violence against women

• Direct cost: care and support to abused and battered women and their children and services dedicated to successfully bringing perpetrators to justice

• Indirect cost: most importantly the cost of human

suffering, loss of human dignity and erosion of the social fabric plus lost work-hours and productivity

• Each euro invested in policies to prevent domestic violence, reduces the total cost of VAW by €87

Programme Objective

• Combating VAW• Development • Social Cohesion

In a framework of respect for human rights and gender equality

Thank you for your attention. Please visit our site

www.isotita.gr