How to help victims of domestic abuse? Caritas Kyiv Perfects its Approach

26.09.2011
On 8-9 September, Caritas Kyiv’s Coordinator for Mobile Work with Children and Youth participated in a seminar entitled: Domestic Violence: Identifying and Organizing Help for its Victims.

The seminar was organized by the charitable Organization HealthRight International in Ukraine together with the Kyiv city Social Services for Families, Children and Youth through the project Access to HIV testing, Prevention and Other Services for Girls and Young Women in High Risk Groups in Ukraine. Fr. Roman Syrotych, Director of Caritas Kyiv stated that the seminar was led by HealthRight International staff members S. V. Suvorov and L. V. Smykalo from St. Petersburg, Russia.

The seminar tried to include all individuals that provide social services or conduct other preventative work with girls and young women in Kyiv, including practicing psychologists, social workers, social pedagogues, and doctors.

“We do not have accurate statistics on how many women and children are victims of domestic violence: physical, psychological, social, or economic. The reality is that our society hides this problem and that it is shrouded in many myths. We are not used to discussing this topic, to say nothing of resolving it effectively or preventing it.

Caritas Kyiv encounters situations of domestic violence regularly, has experience resolving these issues, and is ready to improve their practices and methods,” says Halyna Korbelyak, one of the seminar participants from Caritas Kyiv.

The seminar examined reasons for domestic violence and the psychological aspects of violence: the abuser’s behaviour and its characteristics; the level of danger of abusers; the behaviour of victims; the consequences of violence against women; the possible signs of domestic violence; the needs of women who have been victims of violence; how to provide assistance; children and domestic violence; direct victim counselling; and safety plans.