Do you know that every sixth child and every third wife in Serbia is a victim of familial violence and physical abuse, including sexual abuse?
Familial violence has until recently been hidden behind closed doors and has escalated into the public eye in the last several years and become a permanent fixture on font pages and television screens. In the past several years, the number of women and children asking for help from the corresponding social institutions, advice centres and shelters has been on the increase daily.
B92 Campaign “For Our Children” – Shelter for victims of familial abuse
Do you know that every sixth child and every third wife in Serbia is a victim of familial violence and physical abuse, including sexual abuse?
Familial violence has until recently been hidden behind closed doors and has escalated into the public eye in the last several years and become a permanent fixture on font pages and television screens. In the past several years, the number of women and children asking for help from the corresponding social institutions, advice centres and shelters has been on the increase daily.
B92Source:
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We have decided to react!
B92 has begun its campaign “For Our Children,” in the goal of not only turning public attention to the aspects and consequences of familial abuse in Serbia through the media, but also help the concrete mechanisms to protect children and to initiate development and educational projects.
Our general intentions are to go a step further from the regular positions of the responsible media. We want to create ties between the relevant state institutions and other volunteers and sponsors for a media coordination of actions that will be effective in solving concrete problems.
What do we wish to achieve?
The “For Our Children” campaign was started by RTV B92 with the intent to collect funds for the construction of a home or shelter for women and children who are victims of familial abuse, which will also permanently available and used as an Advisory Centre Against Familial Violence. Our task is to build this house of 220 square metres by the end of 2006, in which victims of familial abuse will be able to reside.
Once we have successfully built the home, we plan on building another one of the same appearance and purpose.
Who and how exactly are we helping with this action?
The advisory centre against familial violence is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation, which will offer its services in Belgrade for women and children who are victims of familial abuse.
In this year, the Advisory Centre Against Familial Violence marks ten years of its existence in which, on average, more than 3,000 women and children looked for and found help and care from the centre each year. It is currently the only organisation dealing with these kinds of activities on the territory of the city of Belgrade.
The work of the Advisory Centre is being held back by the fact that it does not have a building in which it can offer protection and help to the victims. This practically calls for great expenses for renting and upholding, and long-term insecurity and uncertainty. Building a house that will be permanently used for this purpose will make the work of the Advisory Centre easier, cut the expenses and increase its capacity for helping victims.
The sum that is needed for building and equipping such a home is 120,000 euros, without the cost of land. Our goal is for the home to be built and given over to the Advisory Centre by the fall of 2006.
What have we done so far?
We have established contact with the Directorate for Building Property and Construction in Belgrade.
The Directorate decided to join us in our effort through help in finding land and with a donation for using the building property with which our project became a reality.
The first municipality that responded to out initiative was Rakovica. In the last several years Rakovica has been known to be probably the most effective local administration on the territory of Belgrade, and has decided to make property available for building the shelter for familial abuse victims.
On Wednesday, June 28, at 12 pm, municipal officials from Rakovica, RTV B92 and the Advisory Centre for the Fight Against Familial Violence will signed a protocol for cooperation, and by doing so, formally began the work of collecting funds and organising the construction of the shelter.
How can you help?
1. the building of the house
After securing the building property and all the necessary licences, B92 will begin building the house. Until then, we will need to secure the estimated amount needed for building and equipping the house; 120,000 euros. Every donation is appreciated. Also, donations of needed equipment for completing the house will also be gratefully accepted.
2. help in maintaining the work of the shelter
After handing over the shelter to be used by the Advisory Centre for the Fight Against Familial Violence, further funds will be needed to keep the shelter working and functioning; things such as food, hygiene products and all other household products necessary for everyday life. In this sense, you will be able to join our action with donations of such necessary products and items.
We are at your service if there are any additional questions. You can contact the following people: