Place of conduction of the project: The territory of Pazardzhik judicial region
Source of financing:Ministry of justice
Partnerships: District court – Pazardzhik, Regional courts – Pazardzhik, District Police Directorate - Pazardzhik, Regional directorate “Social Assistance” - Pazardzhik, Crisis Centre for Victims of Abuse and Trafficking – Peshtera.
A common goal of the project is reducing the acts of domestic violence and the negative effects on the victims and the society at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region.
The project also has the following specific goals:
- To increase the effectiveness in the application of the Law for Protection of Domestic Violence by making and introducing specialized programmes to the practice undre article 6, paragraph 7 of LPDV;
- To increase the capacity of the institutions and organizations directly involved in the conduction of LLDV or concerned about the problem of violence;
- To increase the sensitiveness of the society to the problem of violence by promoting and popularizing the results of the project.
Activities:
1.Making and introducing a Pilot programme for prevention of domestic violence in 4 schools in Pazardzhik region.
2.Establishing an Office for consultations, direction and support for victims of domestic violence.
3.Introducing a specialized programme for perpetrators of domestic violence to the service CSRI.
4.A training seminar for all specialists who apply the particular programmes and services together with representatives of the relevant institutions on LPDV.
5.Making a mechanism for applying the programmes together with the court, the police and DSA (Directorate Social Assistance).
6.A working meeting for a discussion and reception of a coordinative mechanism on applying the programmes and services on LPDV.
7.Activities for information and popularization of the project.

NEWS

The realization of a project for domestic abuse was brought to an end 

The realization of the project of Fund – IGA “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 from LPDA” was brought to an end. It was realized at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region in partnership with District court – Pazardzhik, Regional courts in Pazardzhik, Regional Police Directorate – Pazardzhik, Regional Directorate “Social Assistance” – Pazardzhik and Crisis centre for individuals and children who are victims of abuse and traffic – Peshtera.
A series of events was conducted for popularizing the activities under the project – printed leaflets and posters, informative days, a one-hour TV discussion. The medium in the region responded to the subject and broadcast in details the events and the activities concerning the burning issue. 81 citizens from the region looked for help in the established under the project Centre for consultation, guidance and support for victims of domestic abuse. More than half of them received professional help from psychologists, social workers and a jurist. A specialized programme for perpetrators of domestic abuse was initiated in the service CSRI.
A pilot programme for prevention of domestic abuse was introduced in 4 schools in Pazardzhik district. 145 children from Pazardzhik, Peshtera and Patalenitsa took part in it.
Representatives of different institutions relevant to LPDA were engaged in the realization of the project. A training seminar was conducted and both the specialists applying the separate programmes and services and the representatives of the relevant institutions participated in it. Experts from Fund – IGA together with the court, the police and Directorate “Social Assistance” developed a Coordination mechanism for the application of the programmes. It was discussed and accepted at a two-day working meeting in Velingrad.
The general aim of the project was to reduce the acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences on the victims and the society at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region, and the source of financing was the Ministry of Justice, on the strength of article 19, paragraph 3 from the Rule for applying LPDA.

TV discussion on “Domestic abuse”

Domestic abuse was the topic of the publicistic show of TV Telecable “60 minutes” the previous Wednesday. Then the project of Crime Prevention Fund - IGA “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 from LPDA” was presented.
Mariana Boyrikova – coordinator of Fund IGA, Valentina Gesheva – manager of CSRI of Fund IGA, Rada Elenkova – representative of the Bulgarian centre for gender surveys – Plovdiv and coordinator of the Centre for Social Services and Yancho Dryanov – jurist, part of the team of the Centre for consultation, guidance and support for victims of domestic abuse were guests on the show. The project was presented by Mariana Boyrikova who accented on the establishment of the Centre for consultation, guidance and support where the experts of Fund IGA work with the victims of domestic abuse. The jurist of the Centre explained both the Law for protection of domestic abuse and the active practices and Valentina Gesheva explained the specific character of the work with the perpetrators.
Rada Elenkova from the Bulgarian centre for gender surveys commented on the problem of domestic abuse – its characteristics, types, causes and factors which account for the problem, as well as the work with the victims of abuse. The monitoring and the surveys show that at present our country lack homogeneous methodology and practice to render psycho-social support to the perpetrators of violence. The possibilities for inclusion and guidance of these individuals in specialized individual or group corrective programmes in the community are limited. The resources which the judicial system command and the development of an effective mechanism for a recommended guidance of the perpetrators by the court to specialized centres and teams to include them in corrective and psycho-social programmes are not used in this respect at present.
The project is realized at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region and the source of financing is the Ministry of Justice. Its main aim is to reduce the number of acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences on the victims and on the community at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region.

Coordination mechanism to apply the programmes and services under LPDA was discussed at a working meeting

A two-day working meeting to discuss and accept the coordination mechanism for applying the programmes and services under LPDA took place on 10th-11th November in Velingrad. Representatives of institutions and organizations directly involved in the conduction of LPDA or being concerned with the matter of abuse took part in the meeting – District Court – Pazardzhik, Regional Court – Pazardzhik, Regional Court – Velingrad, Regional Court – Peshtera, District Police Directorate – Pazardzhik, Regional Police Directorate – Pazardzhik, Social Assistance Directorate – Peshtera and Crisis Centre – Peshtera. The meeting was conducted within the framework of the project “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 from LPDA. This project has been conducted and implemented by Crime Prevention Fund – IGA. The participants in the meeting not only discussed and accepted the coordination mechanism but also had the opportunity to hear the lecture – “Domestic abuse – some important areas” which was delivered by the assistant professor Vladimir Velinov and were introduced to the work of the Centre for consultation, guidance and support presented by Maria Cheshmedzhieva – manager of Crisis centre – Peshtera, Svetla Davcheva – psychologist and Valentina Gesheva – manager of CSRI of Fund IGA. A special press conference was given for the media before the beginning of the working meeting. The project, its goals, achieved results and future activities were presented at this press conference.

The Informative days in Pazardzhik judicial region go on

Another Informative day to present the Project “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 from the Law for protection of domestic abuse – LPDA” took place in one of the halls of Regional court – Peshtera during the previous week.
The aims of the project and the achieved results were presented to the participants by Dimitur Russinov – the programme manager of Fund IGA. Lectures by Maria Cheshmedzhieva – the manager of the Crisis centre for individuals and children who are victims of domestic abuse, Valentina Gesheva – manager of CSRI of Fund IGA and Svetla Davcheva – psychologist, were included in the programme of the informative event. They presented the programmes on which they have been working and shared their experience from the work with both the victims and the perpetrators till now.
Tsvyatko Mangov – chair person of Regional court – Panagyurishte as well as other judges, the district prosecutor of Panagyurishte, representatives of the Local commission against antisocial acts of juveniles and minors, Regional police department, Municipal probation service, schools and media attended the informative day.
The chair person of Regional court- Panagyurishte expressed his satisfaction from the event and called upon the institutions to unite their efforts to deal with the problem. Other participants in the informative day also showed concern to it.
A general aim of the project is to decrease the acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences on the victims and the society.

An informative day in Peshtera 

The second informative day for presenting the Project “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and effective implementation of programmes under article 3, paragraph 7 from the Law for protection of domestic abuse (LPDA)” took place the previous week in Peshtera. Dimitur Russinov - the program manager of Fund IGA, introduced to the audience the project’s aims, the achieved results and the future proceedings. Maria Cheshmedzhieva - the manager of the Crisis centre for individuals and children who are victims of domestic abuse, presented the programme which is applied in the work with the victims of domestic abuse as well as the pilot programme for working in the schools. It has been carried out in four schools in the region – two in Peshtera, one in the city of Pazardzhik and one in the village of Patalenitsa. Representatives of Regional court – Peshtera, Crisis centre for individuals and children who are victims of domestic abuse, Regional police department - Peshtera, Local commission against antisocial acts of juveniles and minors, Peshtera municipality, “Social assistance” Directorate and representatives of the two schools in Peshtera where the programme is applied, attended the conference. Svetla Davcheva – a psychologist from the Office for consultation, guidance and support of victims of domestic abuse, presented the methodology which is applied in the work with both the victims and the perpetrators. The project has been realized at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region and the funding source is the Ministry of justice on the grounds of article 19, paragraph 3 from the Rules for application of the Law for protection of domestic abuse. Its general aim is to decrease the acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences on the victims and the society.
An Informative day will take place on October 19th in Panagyurishte, and also in Velingrad by the end of the month.

Domestic abuse – “Let’s do not hide the problem”

(October, 4th) An informatory day for presenting the Project “Increasing the capacity of institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and an effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 from the Law for Protection of Domestic Abuse (LPDA)”, its aims, achieved results and future proceedings, was held yesterday at the National press club of BTA - Pazardzhik. This is the first forum of such a kind, planned in the project, and the others will be held in Velingrad, Peshtera and Panagyurishte – the munipal centres in the district where there are Regional courts.
The project was presented by the programme director of Fund – IGA Dimitur Russinov. After his presentation the guest of the forum – the deputy Ginche Karaminova, clarified to the audience the present state of legislation on the topic and outlined the meaning of the NGO sector in the attempts of a successful dealing with the problem. Mrs Karaminova also commented on the human aspect of the topic, which concerns mostly the women, and sympathized in their sorrow.
Maria Cheshmedzhieva – manager of the Crisis centre for individuals and children who have fallen victims of domestic abuse, and Valentina Gesheva – manager of the Centre for social rehabilitation and integration (CSRI) of Fund - IGA presented the programmes which are applied in the work with victims and perpetrators and introduced to the audience the experience which has been gained till the present moment.
Representatives of District court and Regional court – Pazardzhik, District Directorate “Police station”, Regional directorate “Social assistance”, Department “Protection for the child”, the prison, Regional Education Inspectorate, as well as representatives of the schools in which the Programme for prevention of domestic abuse was conducted, attended the Informatory day. Crime Prevention Fund – IGA has been implementing the project since the beginning of August. The project has been realized at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region, and the funding source is the Ministry of justice, on the grounds of article 19, paragraph 3 from the Rules for application of the Law for protection of Domestic Abuse.
A general aim of the project is to reduce the number of acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences on the victims and the society.

A training increases the capacity of specialists for working with the

Since the beginning of August Fund IGA has been working on the realization of a project “Increasing the capacity of the institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and an effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 of the Law for protection against domestic abuse (LPDA)”. A training seminar for the specialists who apply the specific programmes and services and for representatives of the relevant institutions in LPDA took place at the seaside resort Sunny Beach from 22nd to 24th of September. The aim of this activity was to increase the experts and specialists’ knowledge with respect to the problem of “domestic abuse”, the ways of practical implementation of the measures grounded in the Law for protection against domestic abuse, the nature of social work and the psychological support for victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse. The grounded topics accented on increasing the awareness to the problem, as well as formation of adequate views of the specialists and the representatives of institutions for not-tolerating the acts of domestic abuse, showing understanding and compassion on the victims’ experience. The training set entirely practical aims as well: formation of practical skills for an identification of cases of domestic abuse, rendering help by directing to juridical protection and consultation and competent services for psycho-social support, as well as skills for working under specialized programmes. More than 30 representatives of institutions and specialists in application of the programmes and services took part in the training.

A pilot programme for prevention of domestic abuse started in 4

A pilot programme for prevention of domestic violence for an application in the schools was developed by experts within the framework of the project for domestic abuse. The programme was sent for being discussed in the courts in the region as well as in the District Directory “Police”, the Directory “Social assistance” and the Regional inspectorate of education in Pazardzhik. The programme will be tested in 4 schools in the district – two in Peshtera, one in Pazardzhik and one in the village of Patalenitsa. It is conducted within the framework of 3 sessions each with duration of 2 school hours. Groups of 20 pupils are formed in the selected schools. A guidance to the programme is developed and it will facilitate both the lectors and the participants in it. After the end of the programme it will be discussed again with everybody who participated in its developing and application and only then will it acquire its final variant. Then it will be again applied in selected schools.

Fund IGA started the realization of a project for dealing with the problem

Since the beginning of August Fund IGA has started the realization of a project “Increasing the capacity of the institutions and NGOs in Pazardzhik judicial region for dealing with the problem of domestic abuse and an effective implementation of programmes under article 6, paragraph 7 of the Law for protection against domestic abuse (LPDA)”. The project is financed by the Ministry of justice on the strength of article 19, paragraph 3 from the Regulations for application of the Law for protection of domestic abuse and an order №-04-685/22.06.2011 of the minister of justice. Its activities will be realized in a partnership with District court - Pazardzhik, Regional courts in Pazardzhik region, District Directory “Police”, Regional directory “Social assistance” – Pazardzhik and the Crisis centre for people and children, victims of abuse and traffic – Peshtera. The project aims at decreasing the acts of domestic abuse and the negative consequences over the victims and the society at the territory of Pazardzhik judicial region. It is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness in the application of the Law for protection against domestic abuse, increasing the capacity of the institutions and organizations which are directly involved in the execution of LPDA or which are related to the problem of abuse. A number of acts, which aim at increasing the awareness of the society with regard to the problem by promoting and popularization of the results of the project, are grounded in the project. A Bureau for consultation, directing and support of victims of domestic abuse will start working as early as August in the office of Fund IGA. A “hot” telephone line for putting through to it will be published soon at IGA’s site.