“Centro Donna Lilith ” Latina Haapsalu, May 15-17, 2012

1. “Centro Donna Lilith”Latina Haapsalu, May 15-17, 2012

2. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Rape of Proserpina, 1621-’22, Roma, Galleria Borghese

3. The main idea of cultural change is based on men’s violence against women, on gender differences and on the traditional ideas of family and society, and on inequality and differences in power between men and women, today still present in the Italian society.

4. Shared Definitions and Key Concepts for a Gender-Oriented Approach

5. "..., the term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private” The United Nations Declaration on the elimination of violence against women,1993

6. “Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women...” The United Nations Declaration on the elimination of violence against women,1993

7. Women suffer violence from men. Obviously not all men are violent against women However, it is GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE that is, violence of men against women and girls

8. Council of Europe-Group of specialists for combating violence against women, Final Report of Activities, Strasbourg, 1997 The position of men and women with regards to this phenomenon is not equivalent ▼ womenappear more often asvictims andmen asresponsiblefor the violenceSome forms of violence are acted out almost exclusively on women (rape)

9. Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, Instanbul, 2011 “violence against women”is understood as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women and shall mean all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life “domestic violence”shall mean all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim “gender-based violence against women”shall mean violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately;

10. VIOLENCE against WOMEN: A PATHinto concrete actions

11. February 6th 1986 THE FOUNDATION OF “CENTRO DONNA LILITH” LATINA “Centro Donna Lilith” (CDL) was founded in Latina in February 1986. It is a voluntary association whose main aim is prevention and struggle against gender violence and domestic violence ■ Recorded in the Register of Volunteer Organizations of Regione Lazio, under the Social Services Section■ Recorded in the Register of Volunteer Organizations of the City of Latina■ Member of the Women's Committee of Regione Lazio

15. The 3 pictures tell the story of how a group of women starting from the“Circeo Trial”– a court proceeding which took place in the assize Court in Latina in the summer 1976 – established “CENTRO DONNA LILITH” in the mid 1980's. The centre runs both a support group for women victims of violence and since 2003 it has also run a shelter for women and their children.

16. ACTIVITIES OF THE ANTI-VIOLENCE CENTRE How do we help women? ☺Providing support for women victims of violence both within the family and outside ☺ Helping women coming out of seriously violent situations, giving them support and guidance to make their own decisions ☺ Providing temporary housing (shelter) at a secure and confidential location for those women forced to move away from their homes with their under age children

17. ACTIVITIES OF THE ANTI-VIOLENCE CENTRE How do we contrast violence? ☺Spreading a non-violent cultural model so as to prevent violence through projects in schools at all levels working in close collaboration with official bodies. ☺Making sure violence is kept in the public eye, through research analysis and cultural awareness on the topic of gender violence ☺Providing advice and documentation for theses and research on gender violence ☺Managingand promoting training and in-training of anti-violence Operators ☺Participating in meetings, seminars at regional and national level ☺Building an antiviolenceterritorial network

18. FIRST FIVE YEARS OF ACTIVITY Women’s rights and active solidarity with the victims of sexual violence were privileged fields of activity in the first 5 years: ●Conferences and public events to expose the legal and cultural backwardness in relation to gender violence ●Our civil action as an injured party, together with another feminist associationTribunale 8 Marzo,in the rape trial which took place in Latina in May 1990 They are few of the ​​many stages of a process that in February 1991 brought our Association to activate the service "Telefono Donna", in analogy with the experience of the national "Telefono Rosa".

20. From Counselling to Shelter from “Telefono Donna” to “Emily”

21. TELEFONO DONNA Answers to women

22. 1991 “Telefono Donna” is established “Telefono Donna”was initially established as a forum for providing information, for collecting reports, to set up a first reference point for women in difficulty. The step from helpline to Anti-violence Counselling Centre was short: the women themselves , often jumping the telephone filter, came directly to the center driven by the need to be heard, to break the silence, to establish a direct relationship with other women able to offer their help and support .

23. 1991 THE COUNSELLING CENTRE The Counselling Centre opened at the beginning of 1991; since July 1996 it has worked in conjunction with the local council due to a regional law sustaining “Activities to support women in temporary difficulty, victims of violence, mistreatment and/or abuse”. The practice of the relationship among women brings solidarity and mutual respect, which allows women with long term painful experiences to regain confidence in themselves, to identify themselves as autonomous agents able to rebuild their identity and exit from violence, and to redesign their lives.

25. 2003 “EMILY” THE SHELTER Since January 2003 CDL has run a women’s shelter in the town of Latina, sustained by the provincial authorities under regional law n° 64/93. In the 10 years it has been open, Emily has become an important reference point for women who have decided to leave situations of violence (both within their families and outside). It is known as a place where women can reflect on the past and plan for their and their children's futures. Consolidating good practicewith local authorities and extending contacts to other socially active groups has meant that CDL has become a real and immediate answer for women who are victims of violence.

26. Do not allow violence to be nourished by your silence YOU CAN GET OUT OF VIOLENCE

27. A GENDER-ORIENTED APPROACH Women’s shelters provide battered women and their children with safe accommodation and comprehensive support applyinga gender-oriented approach.

28. T he experience of the Counselling Centre 1991- 2011

29. TheCounselling Centre is open to women five days a week, with three hour morning and afternoon shifts with the presence of two host staff per shift The Centre provides • counselling • legal advice • support for pathways out of violence

30. The support groups talk with the women as follows: ■ Telephone counselling conversationsto provide • an initial response to the needs of women; • information on services offered by anti-violence centres and / or directing them to the facilities and health services in the area ■ Initial counselling to giveadvice and information to meet immediate and urgent needs ■ Support groupsleading to overcoming independently the temporary difficulty.

31. The Counselling Centre works with a • A 24-hour helpline • Women’s helpline1522 Women who call this emergency number are immediately put in contact with the helpers of CDL, so they can intervene promptly and effectively in emergency situations, where the safety of the women and their children is often in serious danger.

32. The Department of Equal Opportunities under the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, in 2006 enabled the "ARIANNA" project, a National Anti-Violence Network helpline -1522 - in support of women victims of violence. "

33. Working within the Arianna project, Centro Donna Lilith joined the national network of the freephone emergency service 1522 in April 2008

34. This is a whole-nation-24-hour- free-phone number. It provides protection and support to victims of abuse and violence and/or directs them towardspublic and private services in the local area. It is a multilingualservice (Italian, English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic) offering an initial response to victims,with an absolute guarantee of absolute anonymity. The operators are exclusively female. They arespecifically trained and supported through regular supervision. In case of imminent danger, the telephone operators can sendthe police to the caller’s house.

36. www.antiviolenzadonna.it The website is a source of information, analysis and communication which offers an open forum for exchange and discussion, as well as providing materials, studies, contacts and it is periodically updated.

37. A gender-oriented lookonterritorial reality

38. THE COUNSELLING FORM The Counselling form is an operational instrument that allows us to: ● monitor the path of the woman, from the initial counselling to the project out of violence● to collect statistical data which can be compared with statistical surveys made by other Italian anti-violence centres, according to a gender-oriented perspective.The statistical survey allows the action of removal of prejudices and of the most widespread stereotypes on violence and it is fundamental to define how to operate on the problem.

39. Violence on Women How to Recognize it How to Overcome it A Survey about the situation in III district

40. Stories of Women walking against violence The experience of Centro Donna “Lilith”

41. The tables below regarding the types of violence, the characteristics of the battered woman and of the batterer have been extracted from the data collected in the Counselling Forms concerning women counselled in the year 2011.

42. Types of Violence* Psychological 88.5% Physical 66.5% Economic 79.5% Sexual 17.5% Stalking 9.0% Multiple answers The majority of instances of violence against women are combinations of psychological, physical and economic violence *

43. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERED WOMEN MARITAL STATUS % Single 15.5 Married 40.0 Cohabiting 9.5 Separated/Legally Separated 27.5 Divorced 3.5 Widow 0.0

44. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERED WOMEN Age % ≤ 18 0.0 19 - 30 19.5 31 - 40 29.5 41 - 50 33.5 51 – 60 10.5 over 60 7.5

45. CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERED WOMEN PROFESSIONAL CONDITION % Employed * 43.5 Unemployed 56.5 * Prevalence of traditional or unstable jobs NATIONALITY Italian 75.0 Foreign * 25.0 *Mostly women from East Europa

46. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSE PERPETRATORS (BATTERERS) MARITAL STATUS % Partner (husband, cohabitant, boyfriend ) 60.5 Ex partner 25.5 Family member 8.5 Friend, acquaintance, colleague 4.0 Stranger 1.5

47. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSE PERPETRATORS (BATTERERS) Age % ≤ 18 0 19 - 30 10.0 31 - 40 30.5 41 - 50 27.5 51 - 60 18.5 over 60 13.5

48. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSE PERPETRATORS (BATTERERS) NATIONALITY % Italian 91,0 Foreign 9,0

49. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSE PERPETRATORS (BATTERERS) PSYCHO-PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS % Drug Addict 9.5 Alcoholic 7.5 Evident psychological distress 5.5 None of the ones listed 77.5

50. An “Ordinary” Man The author of Violence: • Italian • aged between 41 and 50 years • employed or retired • With no particular psycho-physical characteristics