EUROPEAN COMMISSION

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION JUSTICEEXCHANGE OF GOOD
PRACTICES ON GENDER EQUALITY____AWARENESS -
RAISING ACTIVITIES TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN GIRLS IN GREECELONDON, 7 - 8 FEBRUARY
2012THEODORA KATSIVARDAKOUHEAD OF THE
DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL POLICYGENERAL SECRETARIAT
FOR GENDER EQUALITYMINISTRY OF INTERIOR - GREECE
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Violence against Women

• An obstacle to the achievement of
• development
• peace
• gender equality
• social cohesion

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• 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

domestic violence
rape
trafficking
sexual harassment
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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.

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National Programme for Combating Violence
against Women 2010-2013

• legislative measures to strengthen the
  institutional framework
• actions to prevent the phenomenon and assist
  victims

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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

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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

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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

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Services Provided

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

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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

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Awareness Raising Campaign
Key priorities and aims of our campaign To
publicly denounce violence against women as a
violation of womens 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
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Awareness Raising Campaign
Period of implementation April 2011 April 2013

• TV and radio spots
• Printed material (leaflet, posters, stickers)
• Info booth
• Conferences

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Awareness Raising Campaign

• Slogan

SOS Helpline logo
In Greek and in 3 foreign languages
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Target Groups
Awareness Raising Campaign

• 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)

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Awareness Raising Campaign
Counseling Methodology Presentation Conference

• 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

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Awareness Raising Campaign
For the last Time 35 On air March - June
2011
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Awareness Raising Campaign
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Awareness Raising Campaign
This is where she hurt herself 45 On air
November 2011- January 2012
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Participation in the 15th Biennale of Young
Artists
Awareness Raising Campaign
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1st Panorama of Films on Violence Against Women
Awareness Raising Campaign
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Presentations to Schools Students

• Approximately 10 presentations a year to schools
  and high-school classes
• Open discussion on gender violence gender
  equality issues

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NGO funding for Programmes/initiatives on
combating Violence against Women

• 5-6 programmes
• Budget 70,000 each
• Subjects
• Counseling of women victims of violence
• Raising social awareness
• Training professionals

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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

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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

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Programme Objective

• Combating VAW
• Development
• Social Cohesion
• In a framework of respect for human rights and
  gender equality

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• Thank you for your attention.
• Please visit our site
• www.isotita.gr