Dialogue with the specialists from Ungheni and Cahul to outline a concept for the specialized service for survivors of sexual violence
We are currently going through a new stage of a broader project of outlining and piloting a new service designated for people who have experienced sexual violence. The mission of the IC ‘La Strada’ in this project is to ensure the necessary expertise, provide relevant data and mediate a productive dialogue between all categories of professionals, so that a viable and functional concept is outlined, adjusted as much as possible to the needs of the victims of sexual violence.
The workshops from the 15th and 16th of June entitled ‘Dialogue regarding the specialized service for survivors of sexual violence in Ungheni and Cahul’ are thus a co-creation exercise, that intended to find a format that successfully combines the practices and methodology used by the specialists from Ungheni and Cahul with international best practices.
The workshops ensure the continuity of the trainings that we organized at the beginning of the year for representatives of law enforcement bodies, prosecutors, specialists from the medical and social system. Next followed platforms for discussions for the multidisciplinary intervention teams in cases of sexual violence. So that yesterday and today, the participants can try find answers to more specific questions, such as: where and with what resources could the assistance and support centers for victims of sexual violence be created locally? What would be the best format for this service that is centered around the particularities of the sexual violence-related trauma.
At the brainstorming stage of the workshops, the specialists came up with a potential structure of the multidisciplinary team, they proposed various formats for the management of these teams so that the newly created service is not working occasionally, but rather is financially and professionally viable. The majority of the participants identified district hospitals and women’s health centers as the most suitable institutions where, with slight adjustments, the specialized services for victims of sexual violence could be created. The conclusion can also be justified by the fact that, in a hospital, medical emergencies in cases of rapes can be appropriately cared for, and by the ethical aspects of cases of sexual violence (ensuring confidentiality and the comfort of the beneficiaries).
The aspect of collaboration with and support from the central authorities was also approached. Multiple people emphasized the need to involve Government representatives to take on commitments in order to ensure the continuity of the local specialized services for victims of sexual violence.
In total, 40 specialists from various fields and institutions participated at the workshops for the co-creation of the specialized service concept for victims of sexual violence in Ungheni and Cahul: representatives of local public authorities, police officers, prosecutors, social workers, psychologists, doctors, lawyers etc.
The trainings are organized by International Center ‘La Strada’ within the project EVA ‘Promoting gender equality in the Cahul and Ungheni districts’, financed by European Union and implemented by UN Women in partnership with UNICEF, as per the Collaboration Agreement with UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment). The views and opinions expressed here belong to the authors and don’t necessarily reflect the point of view of UN Women, UNICEF, or the European Union.
