Thursday, November 30, 2023

Solutions to Combat Domestic Violence Depend on Cooperation Between all Responsible Institutions

Days after November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the second round table on the PROTECT project was held. On November 28, 2023 over 25 participants - experts on the subject from the investigation, the prosecutor's office, researchers, health mediators, NGO representatives, students - joined in-depth discussions and debates on critical issues related to domestic violence against women.



The problems indicated by the speakers and participants were more than the possible solutions necessary for the prevention and counteraction of violence against women, and especially against Roma women. According to Dora Petkova, from the National Network of Health Mediators, domestic violence is related to poverty, marginalization, lack of health insurance, access to justice, adequate education in Roma communities. This opinion was also supported by Katya Kirilova, a long-time health mediator from Blagoevgrad and herself a Roma woman; the economic and social dependence of women in families is very strong, and the lack of support and structures to create security for women - before they become victims of violence, the lack of trust in institutions, only reinforces their vulnerability.

Dr. Georgi Kirilov, clinical psychologist and teacher at SU "St. Kliment Ohridski", offered the audience an in-depth analysis of violence as a "bio-psycho-social phenomenon", of the factors that determine the social behavior of the individual and lead to acts of violence.