Advanced Strategy for Combating Violence against Women through a Pilot Program for Consulting of Violent Men in Bulgaria
Advanced Strategy for Combating Violence against Women through Education and Sensitization of Teenage Boys and Men and Through a Pilot Program for Consulting of Violent Men in Bulgaria
Joint Project of the BGRF, Sofia and “Demetra”, Burgas, funded by UNIFEM
Project goals:
- Study the reasons for male violence;
- Examine the links between stereotypes for masculinity and violence against women;
- Set up a basis of educational program for teenagers, teaching the principles of equality and non-violent relationship between women and men;
- Stop the violence and help violent men overcome violent behavior through a pilot program for individual and group counseling;
- Establish good relations between NGOs and police, judiciary, medical care authorities and social workers to combine efforts to combat violence against women.
Project results:
- The attention of the society has been focused on male perpetrators;
- The education program became very popular among school authorities and was supported by the State Agency for Child protection and the Ministry of Education;
- The program had big impact on families and parents of enrolled teenagers. They received a space to discuss themes being taboo;
- The counseling program caught the genuine attention both of media and society. It provoked an unprecedented cooperation among police, social and health services, the prison and NGOs in Burgas;
- The police in Bourgas changed positively its attitude towards victims of domestic violence.
26 November 2000
