#OurStories: How much longer are we going to put up with gender-based violence?

‘I’m Konstantina. I don’t know how to spell properly. Today I learned about the different forms violence can take. For nine long years I didn’t know that I was a victim: I only found out after I’d been free for two years. I didn’t know what was wrong with me when I had depression and panic attacks, and finally got treatment. Now I know – I just found out. Thank you!’

The whole reason for this project can be seen in the words of a student who recorded her traumatic experiences in the visitors’ book during educational seminars organised as part of ‘TIME TO TALK’. The aim of the project, which was implemented under the Active citizens fund in Greece, with the Bodossaki Foundation and SolidarityNow as the Fund Operator, is to promote gender equality and fight against gender-based violence.

Every day we hear yet more shocking news. And we count the victims: one, two, three… yes, the next one could be someone we know, a friend, an aunt, just someone we know in Prosotsani. Sadly, she will always be just another number.

In the last five years the Ladies Union of Drama – House of Open Hospitality has handled 647 calls to the Helpline for Abused Women and Children and 81 of them, as well as their children, have been given shelter at the Open Hospitality House, which started operating in 1995.

The project ‘TIME TO SPEAK’ has also responded to the urgent need to start talking about gender-based violence outside the big cities – wherever it raises its ugly head:

Patriarchy ?

Violence online?

Domestic violence?

Whatever type of violence a person is experiencing, it’s time for them to speak up – and for us to listen!

At the Ladies Union of Drama, we strongly believe that if we are going to tackle this problem we need to reach out, not only to the victims of abusive behaviour, but also to the perpetrators. The individuals who won’t stop with just one victim and who may well have been victims themselves…

In line with this objective, the Norwegian organisation ‘Alternative to Violence’ organised two three-day meetings to train all the representatives of social services in the Drama prefecture, the police, and staff and volunteers of the organisation, in how to provide counselling services for people who use violence.

‘Why?’ was the question we were asked again and again in the educational seminars we offered to 242 school pupils and their teachers. However, by the time they had left the premises of the Ladies Union of Drama they had adopted a resounding slogan: ‘we’re going to stop violence wherever it takes place!’.

Every aspect of the initiative has been designed to facilitate a holistic approach to the problem, in all its dimensions. Via the website and the online quiz ‘Change the plot. Be a gender hero’ we can all learn more about this problem, raise public awareness and take a stand!

We all need to ask ourselves…

How much longer are we going to put up with gender-based violence?