Who bears responsibility for violence?

Our training topics are so relevant that participants instantly engage in the work and actively participate from the very first minute of each event!

The training "Psychosocial support for victims/survivors of gender-based violence during military actions" held on October 6-9, was no exception. From the first day, participants understood that all training sessions would be active and energetic, facilitating effective group work. Trainers Olena Sudakova and Olesia Druzhyna immediately immersed participants in the process of learning the training topic. An exercise proposed at the beginning made participants think about the unconscious desire to use violence and to form their own understanding of the inefficiency of such a strategy.

The second day of the training was no less intense: we discussed types of violence, its signs, and consequences with a focus on military actions in Ukraine. To ascertain the general opinion on responsibility for violence, a practical exercise was conducted, leading to a series of heated discussions and professional debates. As many people, as many opinions, but today participants reached unanimous conclusions: violence has no justification, and the responsibility lies with those who commit it.

Important aspects considered during the training were the specifics of consulting individuals with experiences of violence. Any approaches in working with such individuals must be adapted, taking into account their characteristics and the specifics of the work. Tools and instruments may vary depending on the age group with which a specialist works, especially with children.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that regardless of the face of violence - sexual, physical, emotional, psychological, or economic, there is no excuse to tolerate it at all.

The specialists - participants of the training - are well aware of this. Now their weapon is the knowledge and skills for psychosocial support, assistance, and psychological accompaniment of individuals who have experienced gender-based violence.

The event was held in the frames of the "Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in Ukraine – Step Forward" project, implemented with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by IFA (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Funding programme zivik.