We continue our activities within the EVA project. Today, together with another team made up of specialists working in the field of anti-violence in Ungheni. At the end of the meeting, we pointed out some of the most important benefits of a coordinated community response in cases of sexual violence, noted by workshop participants.
An experience that gives survivors a genuine sense of empathy, credibility and protection. It is perhaps the strongest argument in favor of a community center created especially for people who have gone through the experience of one of the most serious crimes, sexual abuse. All over the world, crisis centers for survivors of sexual violence are designed to ensure a more friendly path for the person through the justice system. The interdisciplinary teams working here address these cases based on the specifics of the trauma and the needs of the beneficiaries.
A strong message condemning acts of violence. Regardless of the names they have in different states - crisis centers, sexual violence intervention centers or women's assistance centers -, wherever such centers already exist, the rate of reports and convictions for sexual offenses have grown considerably. One of the most predictable explanations is that the person who went through a traumatic experience has the opportunity to tell only once about the details of the case, for all specialists involved in the investigation of the crime. This working formula encourages victims to trust and ask for help. And the growing indicators of reported abuse in community centers are, in fact, a strong message from a community that disapproves any abusive behavior, including acts of sexual violence against women and children.
Social inclusion and economic empowerment of survivors. The potential for social inclusion, rehabilitation and economic empowerment of survivors offered by these centers cannot be neglected either. A person who is totally financially dependent on the perpetrator will have great reservations about filing a complaint or not. Within these community centers, women can benefit from the support and assistance needed to overcome trauma and get out of the circle of violence. Such an approach requires a better use of human potential. It is the moment when the victim, helped by professionals, becomes, in fact, a survivor of violence and a functional link in the social and economic system of the country.
Increasing the level of trust in the authorities and the justice system. During the workshop, the good practices of other countries were discussed. In the United States, Minnesota, for example, biological evidence is collected regardless of whether or not the victim wants to file a complaint. The state, which funds crisis centers for women, does so consciously, to give the victim a chance to recover from the post-traumatic shock, to reflect and, if she subsequently decides to review her decision and report the abuse, the evidence to be collected, kept in optimal conditions and made available to the criminal investigation body. Moreover, in some countries, the prosecutor is the leader of the sexual abuse intervention team. It has been proven that this ensures a much more sensitive approach to the needs of the victim, a much more operational, better targeted investigation and a much more efficient justice process.
Today's workshop is organized by the International Center "La Strada" within the EVA Project "Promoting Gender Equality in Cahul and Ungheni districts", funded by the European Union and implemented by UN Women in partnership with UNICEF, based on the Cooperation Agreement with UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment). The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of UN Women, UNICEF or the European Union.