Viburnum bushes have a double symbolism: the image of a young girl and Ukraine.
Every year in November, the campaign “16 days against violence” begins in Ukraine. As part of the campaign, a flash mob called “Don’t break the viburnum!” took place in Lviv. At the monument to Taras Shevchenko, the participants planted 16 viburnum bushes, symbolizing the 16 days of the action dedicated to the Day of Combating Violence Against Women.
This event is being organized for the fourth time in the Lviv Region to draw society’s attention to the problems of overcoming domestic violence, child abuse, and protecting women’s rights. The promotion will last until December 10.
“Unfortunately, cases of domestic violence are not isolated in our society. In addition to physical violence, this list also includes psychological violence. Our parents’ generation was used to keeping the problem quiet, not bringing it up in public, so as not to become the subject of discussion by neighbors or relatives. Now society is paying more and more attention to its own safety in the family, in addition, trust in law enforcement agencies as institutions that will help is growing. “Domestic violence is not the norm in relationships!” – remarked the deputy head of Lviv OVA, Ivan Sobko.
Victims of domestic violence who seek help from the police can count on 24/7 police to respond appropriately and bring perpetrators to justice. Representatives of the National Police emphasize: Do not be silent! This applies to both victims and witnesses of violence. Call the police line 102.
In the current months of 2023, about 20,000 appeals regarding domestic violence were received by the authorized bodies of the region. Most of the applicants are women. From this number, 5,000 urgent restraining orders were issued against offenders.
“Within the framework of the International Action, society pays attention to the rights of women in the world. In Ukraine, this problem has become particularly acute due to the full-scale war. Cases of sexual violence in the occupied territories, violations of women’s rights are terrible. During these 16 days, we are able to better inform the population about the existence of such a problem. Each of us can be the driving force that will help break the chain of violence,” said Marta Chumalo, deputy head of the Center for Women’s Perspectives.
Useful Information:
There are 7 mobile teams of social and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence working in Lviv region, three of them in Lviv, another in Drohobych, Chervonohrad, and Stryi. At the same time, there are 5 police mobile response groups for domestic violence in Lviv region (two in Lviv, one each in Drohobych, Chervonohrad, and Stryi).
For the temporary provision of shelter to victims of domestic violence, the following provisions are provided:
department for providing shelter to victims of domestic violence of the Center for Social and Psychological Assistance in Lviv region (22 beds);
Shelter for women and children who suffered from domestic and/or gender-based violence of the Morshyn Territorial Center (24 beds);
Drohobytsk day center for social and psychological assistance with a crisis room for victims of domestic violence (6 beds);
Novorozdilsky day center for social and psychological assistance with a crisis room for persons who have suffered from domestic violence (12 beds);
Stryi day center with a crisis room (4 beds);
Chervonograd day center with a crisis room (4 beds);
Social hotel of the Lviv City Council (20 beds);
shelters of the public organization “Center “Women’s Perspectives” (20 beds);
women’s department of the “Nazaret” charitable foundation (20 places).
With the support of the UN Population Fund, since July 2022, the VONA career hub has been operating in Lviv, which offers victims free professional courses with professional sets, employment, career counselors’ advice, in particular on resume writing, grant writing, and also works at the hub psychologist
Since July 2021, a child-friendly Crisis Room has been operating in the Lviv region, which is located on the basis of the Okhmatdyt LODCL. There are two adjacent rooms in the room. One of them is a therapeutic room where a psychologist, specialists in pediatrics, children’s gynecology, psychiatry and pedagogy work with the child. The other room is a working room, an observation room for police officers and other specialists, from where children’s behavior is monitored, since the room is equipped with cameras, and the zones themselves are partitioned off by special glass for extra-visual observation.
From August 5, 2022, the Lviv Palace of Arts will host the Rescue Center, which was created on the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna with the support of the UN Population Fund. Victims can receive psychological, legal and social support there.
Since September, with the support of UNFPA, a medical mobile clinic has been operating in Lviv Oblast at the Lviv Regional Clinical Perinatal Center, which travels to communities and provides free services: gynecologist examinations,