“Stay person” – a project to combat domestic violence

A press conference dedicated to the start of the project “Stay Man” was held at the Pure Policy Expert Club on April 2, 2012. The attendees discussed the problem of domestic violence and ways to solve it.

Yes, according to the words Goose Regina, the head of the city public organization “Handful” every third woman becomes a victim of violence in the family. And only 10% of domestic violence victims seek help from law enforcement agencies, consultations and rehabilitation with social services.

Kotenko Victoria, Deputy Head of the Department of Family and Youth of the City Council, spoke about preventive measures that the department is constantly carrying out through educational campaigns among young people and promoting humane ways to resolve conflict situations. Moreover, the specialist told in detail about free services of a lawyer and psychologist who work directly with victims of violence and carry out educational work with aggressors.

Elena Kolochko, manager of social projects of the Polissya Fund of International and Regional Research in detail about the project itself, which lasts from 1st to 31 May with the direct support of the Department for Family and Youth of the City Council. The main purpose of the initiative is to draw young people’s attention to the problem of domestic violence, to cultivate the rejection of any manifestations of violence in the family and to increase the level of informing of the youth of the city where to contact in the event of critical situations. During the implementation by the volunteers of the Polissya Fund, a number of seminars for students of the city will be held, where students of Chernihiv schools will be acquainted with varieties of domestic violence. And with April 15th to May 15 will last a cartoon/social drawing competition on the subject “No violence!”where all talented residents of the city will be able to show their abilities. The exhibition of the received works will be held on May 19 at the festival of European countries, and on May 31 the winners will be announced and awarded at the final press conference. During this period, a street bracelet campaign is planned, during which volunteers will distribute raspberry bracelets with the inscription “Stay Man”, information cards with hotline numbers and booklets with general information about varieties of domestic violence.