Domestic violence hotline. Dnipro

The initiative "Psychological Support Hotline for Victims of Domestic Violence during the Pandemic" was implemented by the "Gender Streem" non-profit together with the Patrol Police of the city of Dnipro and the Dnipro Regional State Administration as part of Canada-Ukraine Police Development Project (CUPDP) with the financial support of the Government of Canada.

The purpose of the initiative was to increase psychological resilience among women survivors of domestic violence from different backgrounds and/or are at risk of domestic violence, support victims of domestic violence, as well as other types of gender-based violence.

Resilience is a psychological resource that a person has to overcome difficult life circumstances, make plans and implement them, establish and maintain relationships, and adapt to adverse changes.

Objectives:

  • Provide counselling on relieving emotional stress to women who are not affected, but are at risk of domestic violence;
  • Provide psychological support to victims of violence;
  • Maintain and improve mental health in social isolation caused by quarantine during the Covid-19 pandemic;
  • Increase trust of women in the police;
  • Increase the level of trust in the police by awareness raising activities in the local media;
  • Develop an effective and clear response techniques to a critical situation (cases of violence/suicidal attempts, etc.) in joint efforts with the police;
  • Reduce the load on the emergency line 102 by reducing the number of “false” calls.