WeToo

Protecting mental health: Empowering frontline workers and SGBV victims and survivors

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Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) refers to any act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and is based on gender norms and unequal power relationships. SGBV inflicts harm on women, girls, men, and boys and is a severe violation of human rights.The consequences of gender-based violence are devastating and can have life-long repercussions for survivors including several women’s mental health problems.

SGVB in Figures

of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

around

of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner.

of women aged 15-49 years who have been in a relationship report that they have been subjected to some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner.

internally displaced or refugee women living in humanitarian crisis and armed conflict have experienced sexual violence.

higher risk:

Special needs exist for migrant and refugee women who as highly vulnerable group face in average a 30% higher risk of becoming victim of SGBV.

The WeToo project

The WeToo project aims to enable frontline workers to better manage the stress generated by working with SGBV cases and better establish trust relationships with SGBV victims and survivors. The project will also support women survivors and victims of SGBV on their trauma recovery.

How will WeToo succeed?

By developing hands-on tools and training programs

to assess frontline workers’ stress and to identify mental health distress affecting SGBV victims and survivors

By delivering empowering and psycho-social counselling guidelines and activities

in order to facilitate local and migrant women to recover from trauma and distress

By promoting working environments more attentive to its frontline workers’ needs

in terms of mental health.

Project partners

KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre is a non-profit organisation, based in Athens, Greece, with more than 40 years of experience in sustainable development, social growth, human rights’ protection, social inclusion and policy research.
KMOP Social Action and Innovation Centre, Greece
Oxfam Italia Intercultura is part of Oxfam Italia group. The association is engaged in domestic programs to support most vulnerable people: migrants, refugees and people at risk of social exclusion.
OXFAM
Italia intercultura
INTEGRA e.V. is a migrants’ organization based in Filderstadt in Germany. For more than 20 years, INTEGRA has been working with immigrants with Turkish, Mediterranean, Arab and African background and with refugees coming to Germany.
Integra
Germany
NGO Atina was established in 2003 and has for the last 18 years remained dedicated to combating human trafficking and gender-based violence, and supporting the victims.
Atina
Serbia
Animus Association Foundation provides services to both victims of trafficking in human beings and domestic violence since 1994.
Animus Association Foundation
Bulgaria
"La Nara" Anti-Violence Centre is a service active since 1997 and managed by Alice Cooperativa Sociale in Prato.
Alice
Italy

KMOP – Social Action and
Innovation Centre, Greece

KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre is a non-profit organisation, based in Athens, Greece, with more than 40 years of experience in sustainable development, social growth, human rights’ protection, social inclusion and policy research. It focuses on building people’s resilience, combatting inequalities and supporting inclusive and sustainable growth by developing and implementing a variety of innovative tools, programmes and policies. Alongside with direct provision of social services, KMOP’s expertise pertains to the design and implementation of impactful programmes in the areas of education, migration, human rights’ protection, employment, mental health and social economy. KMOP will contribute to the WeToo project its expertise in the development of capacity building programs and trainings and its network with local service providers and key stakeholders.

Oxfam Italia Intercultura, Italy

Oxfam Italia Intercultura is part of Oxfam Italia group. The association is engaged in domestic programs to support most vulnerable people: migrants, refugees and people at risk of social exclusion. For this reason, it runs secure shelters and provide access to social, legal and health services. Oxfam Italia Intercultura promotes access to education and social participation of youths. Oxfam realizes community centers and reception centers for migrant and refugees (including specific programs for unaccompanied minors). Oxfam runs education programs and cultural mediation services at regional and national level. The organization works in synergy with local partners and Institutions to respond to sexual and gender-based violence and to empower women and girls so they can have equal access to opportunities and rights, with a specific focus on the special needs of refugee women and girls.

Intenegra, Germany

INTEGRA e.V. is a migrants’ organization based in Filderstadt in Germany. For more than 20 years, INTEGRA has been working with immigrants with Turkish, Mediterranean, Arab and African background and with refugees coming to Germany. Main target groups are young migrants, migrant women and social vulnerable groups such as refugees and victims of forced migration.INTEGRA e.V. offers social activities for integration, social inclusion, educational services, language courses, vocational training seminars, environmental projects, social participation programmes, anti-violence counselling and personal advice and guidance.

INTEGRA uses methodology in the fields of arts, creative arts, theatre, media, biography work, lectures and reading, self-guided learning, mentoring, integrative learning, empowerment, connective learning and ICT based system for acquisition and development of skills and competences.

Atina, Serbia

NGO Atina was established in 2003 and has for the last 18 years remained dedicated to combating human trafficking and gender-based violence, and supporting the victims. The assistance provided to human trafficking survivors is aimed at overcoming negative consequences of trafficking situation and enabling them to fully recover and reintegrate into the society. Since the emergence of the refugee crisis in 2015, NGO Atina has also become deeply involved in the issue, by providing ad hoc and long-term assistance to vulnerable refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls. The provision of direct assistance to beneficiary groups is being maintained through Atina’s program of comprehensive social inclusion, which encompasses five units: Assisted housing, Field Support Team, Reintegration Centre, Economic empowerment, and Peer support/Advocacy group. In addition, Atina has extensive experience in building the capacities of other relevant actors in the field of combating human trafficking and SGBV, as well as in policy development in these areas. 

Animus Association Foundation, Bulgaria

Animus Association Foundation provides services to both victims of trafficking in human beings and domestic violence since 1994. Animus is active in three areas:  services for direct psycho-social support to the victims, advocacy and prevention activities, and training of relevant professionals on identifying and protecting victims of violence.

For the last 25 years, Animus Association Foundation has proved to be one of the most reliable providers of social services in Bulgaria. Presently, the organization manages the following programmes: 24-hour National Helpline for victims of violence; 24-hour Crisis Centre which works as Transit centre for trafficked persons; Trauma Centre for Children and Families; Centre for Reintegration, Counselling and Psychotherapy; Center for Social Services for Children and Families at Sofia Municipality, including a Mother and Baby Unit. Animus is member and one of the founders of La strada International – European Platform against Trafficking in Human beings.

Alice, Italy

“La Nara” Anti-Violence Centre is a service active since 1997 and managed by Alice Cooperativa Sociale in Prato. La Nara is a social and political project: it intends to provoke a process of change with respect to the problem of physical, psychological, economic, sexual violence, stalking exercised on women and their children of any origin, age, profession, religion. Since its opening, La Nara has welcomed and accompanied, more than 4000 women and hosted more than 300 women with their children in the Refuge House and the Second Reception House, supporting them in a path of protection and safety. Operators of the Centre work both on the Refuge House and on the Second Reception House, creating an intervention that defines a continuum of activities for the women and their children. La Nara collaborates with multidisciplinary organizations and operators in the province of Prato for the protection of women and minors, the prevention and contrast of discrimination and gender-based violence.