International Round Table on the topic: “Dealing with men on domestic violence topic: efficient prevention practices, dealing with offenders”, in Kyiv on July 27-28

Within the framework of our project on July 27-28, in Kyiv, 30 international experts had a meeting on the topic “Dealing with men on domestic violence topic: effective prevention practices, working with offenders” in the format of the Round Table. In accordance with our project line “Counteracting the domestic violence as a consequence of war in the East of Ukraine”, we have purposefully invited specialists from countries that have experienced, or are experiencing a military conflict: Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Russia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the two-day Round Table, experts from the above countries discussed various approaches and successful practices in preventive work with men on the topic of domestic violence (day ), as well as a wide range of experience in using different corrective programs for dealing with offenders (day 2).

The Round Table included discussions on the following topics:

• representing the problems of domestic violence in the countries that have experienced a military conflict earlier or currently: Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Russia, Armenia and Georgia
• preventive methods of work in the countries that have experienced a military conflict earlier or at the present time: what should be paid attention to, what are the recommendations and the proven practices, and in which direction to develop
• practical experience of work with abusers in countries that have come through a military conflict: problems, results, prospects
• presentation of specific practices and examples on counteraction and prevention of domestic violence, as well as ongoing programs aimed at working with offenders, representatives of the organizations from the above countries

Another important issue in the general discussion was the presence or absence of legislation on domestic violence in the represented countries and the experience of how it contributes or complicates the work of specialists in this field.

On Friday, July 27, in a more extended group, with the participation of other Kyiv specialists, the results of our original educational course were presented: “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as the consequence of the armed conflict in the East of Ukraine by involving men in responsible practices against domestic violence”. Sub-grant projects implemented by the participants within the framework of the program were also presented.

The training, which took place from April 207 to June 208, was completed by 4 active men from Ukraine ready to counter the negative consequences of the war, in particular domestic violence in Ukrainian society, among them: former participants of military operations and internal in-migrating persons.

In a podium talk format, six of the male participants told about their participation in the program, about the changes that occurred in their personal lives after participating in the program and about the results of their sub-grant projects under our program: seminars for men on the topic of domestic violence and information campaigns aimed to counter domestic violence.

And in the gallery exhibition offered after that, information materials and videos of all six information campaigns were presented:

For more information about the last stage of our participants’ sub-grant projects, read here.

The International Round Table was held within the framework of our project line “Counteracting the domestic violence as the consequence of war in the East of Ukraine”.