Through held events, the campaign drew attention of men of Severodonetsk to the topic of domestic violence, especially among internally displaced persons and (former) participants of military activities, and captured more than 7,000 Internet users and residents of the region.

The initiator of the information campaign “World Without War is a Home Without Violence” is one of the participants of our educational program “From Rehabilitation to Education and Practice of Counteracting the Critical Growth of Domestic Violence as the Consequence of the Armed Conflict in East of Ukraine” Aleksandr Dubina. Conducted within the framework of the program, Aleksandr implemented the information campaign together with like-minded people who were brought due to the seminar he had held at the first stage of the project.

To visualize the topic, the placement of a billboard in three places of Severodonetsk with the slogan “I made my choice @NGOFSI #Мирбезвойны_Домбезнасилия” was used as a beginning of the information campaign. These billboards drew attention to the problem of domestic violence associated with the war, and encouraged men to become interested in this issue and contribute to the solution of the problem. The event was supported by active men of the city with a photo-campaign, which was published in social networks.

The men from the water sector of LLC Town Service supported the information campaign “World Without War is a Home Without Violence”:

In order to attract attention of city residents and at the same time to get the opportunity to invite passers-by to a seminar on the topic “Preventing Domestic Violence”, on May 9, 208 a thematic flash mob was held on the streets of Severodonetsk.

During the campaign, the initiators deliberately addressed men and talked to them about the problem of domestic violence as a consequence of military activities in the east of Ukraine, handing over an invitation to the seminar.

A two-day seminar was held from 20 to 2 May with the participation of men, including former participants in the military activities and internally displaced persons.

The campaign received, among other things, coverage in the media through a 30-minute radio interview with the campaign initiator Aleksandr Dubina. The main message of the interview was the phrase “Hitting does not mean love”. Aleksandr tells about his participation in our educational program and the relevance of the problem of domestic violence as a consequence of the war in the east of Ukraine, in Ukrainian society. The interview was held on May 7, 208 in the studio of “Hromadske radio” (language: Russian):

Listen

The campaign ended with the creation of a video with the same title “World Without War is a Home Without Violence“, which is a summary of all events of the information campaign (language: Russian):

https://www.facebook.com/NGOFSI/videos/46232452755345/UzpfSTMOTg0MDIxNzc5OTc3Nzo0NjIzMjYzOTcNTExNTg/

All news and publications that took place within the framework of the information campaign “World Without War is a Home Without Violence”, as well as the future events and initiatives of Aleksandr Dubina on the topic of prevention and reduction of domestic violence, please read on the official Facebook page Free international space.

The information campaign “World Without War is a Home Without Violence”, along with six other initiatives that have been and will continue to be held in six different regions of Ukraine, was implemented within the framework of the project “Strategies for Counteracting Domestic Violence Resulting from the Consequences of War” under our financial and mentoring support.

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”.

The training program was developed within the framework of our project, based on the professional knowledge and experience of experts from the North Caucasus and was implemented by us together with these experts as well as Ukrainian trainers.

Based on the work experience of our previous project, the Education Program is designed specifically for the training and dealing with men affected by the military activities: as it became known in our project work on the reduction of domestic violence as a consequence of military activities in 205 year, in Ukraine (as in many other post-conflict regions) work on this topic is carried out mainly with women only, as well as acutely needed help is provided for victims of domestic violence. But preventive work with men until now, on the contrary, is almost not carried out. But, given our working experience and experience of our colleagues from the North Caucasus, work on the issue of domestic violence as a consequence of military activities can be effective and successful only if this topic will be also handled by men. Therefore, we purposefully invited to participate in our educational program only men who suffered from military activities.

One of the central components of our educational program is the implementation of sub-grant projects by the participants of this program, which are both financially and professionally supported by us. Thus, within the framework of our program, the participants held 7 workshops on the topic of domestic violence with men affected by the military activities and implemented 6 information campaigns on the prevention of domestic violence as the consequence of war in six different regions of Ukraine.

Through the implementation of their own sub-grant projects within the framework of the training, the participants were able to immediately implement the acquired competencies, test and expand their abilities with the help of trainers, as well as directly, neutralizing the conflict, affect the problem of domestic violence in Ukraine. Thus, they contributed to a direct change in the behavior of male participants of the workshops in the first phase of sub-grant projects and, with the help of the information campaigns (stage 2) held later, involved like-minded people in the field of prevention and work with the public against domestic violence as the consequence of military activities.

The next important point of our training program is the rehabilitation of our participants, which is a compulsory component of each training module in which participants fight with their personal emotional stress, feelings and fears and learn how to control them. This personal experience as well helps them in their work with other men.

Our series of workshops consisted of four consecutive modules lasting 7 days and was implemented as part of our component of the project “Strategy for counteracting the domestic violence as a consequences of war” from April 207 to June 208.

In the first module, our participants learned from the selected exercises and work strategies of the “Engaging Men Through Accountable Practice” (EMAP) program, how to work with other men on the topic of domestic violence, as well as to conduct an appropriate preliminary analysis of the target group and their problems.

The second module was aimed at acquiring important trainer skills, as well as at the concept and organizational preparation and further analysis of the workshop. Then the learned techniques of discussion and teaching methods were implemented by the participants in the simulated situations of the workshop, worked out and improved with the help of the trainer.

After conducting the workshops with other men affected by the military conflict, where together they reviewed the sources of domestic violence as a consequence of military activities and possible strategies for responding to them, as well as further evaluation of our participants’ work experience, in the wake of the third module of our training program they learned how to develop and conduct male-oriented information campaigns on the prevention of domestic violence related to the conflict.

These information campaigns on the prevention of domestic violence, which also had to encourage other men to take up the issue of domestic violence in the context of military activities, were implemented in six regions of Ukraine from April to May 208.

Flashmob “Men of Odessa – Against Domestic Violence”, which took place in the framework of the information campaign “The man – winner in his family?” on April 3, 208 on the Tiraspol Square in Odessa.

Seminar on “Men against violence. Allies and Defenders “, which took place in Dnipro on April 9, 208 as part of the information campaign” Men Against Violence “.

In the fourth and last module of our educational program, at the conclusion a joint evaluation of experience and results of our participants’ work was carried out and the plans and working strategies of the participants for the future were discussed.

All participants in our program carry on preventive measures and work with the public on counteracting domestic violence as a result of military activities started on their own initiative within our project.

We wish them success in this work!

Also, after the completion of the educational program within our project component “Strategies to counter domestic violence caused by the consequences of war”, an International Round Table on the topic “Dealing with men on domestic violence topic: efficient prevention practices, dealing with offenders” took place in Kyiv on July 27-28, 208″.

In the framework of the Round Table on the public evening event on July 27, 208, the results of our educational program in the form of a panel discussion with 6 participants of the program were presented, as well as the further exhibition created in the framework of the campaigns of our participants, information materials on the prevention of domestic violence as a consequence of military activities.

In the process, our participants were able to form important and useful – for their future work – contacts with international and Ukrainian experts present, who were very impressed by the results of the work of the trained multiplicators, and immediately after the presentation of the project results, possible cooperation options were discussed and planned.

To get contact details of our multiplicators for cooperation, please contact Maria Slesazeck, Germany, Head of the Project “Overcoming the Consequences of War Together” (DRA e.V.) as well as to Nadia Khomenko, Ukraine, Coordinator of the Project in Ukraine (NGO “Country of Free People”).

The initiator of the information campaign “Men against violence” is a participant of our educational course “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as a consequence of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine”, Oleksii Kharlamov, who is a representative of community-based organization “Sports and Rehabilitation Club of Sitting Voleyball – SKVS Dnipro”, civil volunteer and active sportsman. Oleksii conducted the information campaign in Dnipro in partnership with Valentyn Ushych and other adherents who appeared due to the seminar delivered by Oleksii at the first phase of sub-grant project.

All the conducted activities were aimed at involvement of men from among sportsmen, former combatants and internally displaced persons into the issue related to domestic violence.

In total one press conference and two seminars on the topic “Men against violence. Ally and defender” were held and six video clips with the participation of popular and authoritative men of Dnipropetrovsk oblast were filmed and spread in social media (two of which were shown on the regional television as a public service advertising) as well as a poster with message “I do not hit” from the video clip heroes (200 pcs circulation) and three articles on the domestic violence topic.

Owing to the specially created page on Facebook under the campaign “Men against violence”, where all the materials were posted, a total number of covered audience was more than 50 thousand social networkers. An attention of men living in Dnipro was attracted to the topic regarding counteracting the domestic violence due to the delivered seminars and pasted up posters “I do not hit” at sports institutions and city public places.

On April 4, 208 a press conference entitled “Say NO to Violence” was held in the media hub “Informator” where Oleksii Kharlamov and Valentyn Ushych announced a start of the information campaign “Men against violence” and told about its objectives and activities planned.

Live video of the press conference “Say NO to Violence” (language: Russian):

On April 9 and April 30 the seminars entitled “Men against violence. Allies and defenders” were held in Dnipro. These seminars were attended by 6 men many of whom are former combatants and internally displaced persons.

Together with Oleksii Kharlamov and Valentyn Ushych they considered the existing stereotypes regarding woman and man in society and showed present group the behavior patterns of possible reaction to violence in case you witness it.

Three articles about gender stereotypes in Ukrainian society and its impact on domestic violence were published under the information campaign.

“Explanation of domestic violence»

“Family stereotypes and their impact»

«Cycle of violence»

To make more people aware of issue related to the domestic violence via Internet six video clips with the participation of popular and authoritative men living in Dnipropetrovsk oblast were filmed and spread under the information campaign. Number of views of “Men against violence” on the Facebook page was more than 40 thousand.

The video clip with the participation of patrol police representatives of Dnipropetrovsk oblast and with Volodymyr Bohonom, Deputy Chief Officer of National Police Main Department. As of June a number of views is 0,279

https://www.facebook.com/MenAgainstViolenceUA/videos/20459760365283/

The video clip with the participation of Head of Dnipropetrovsk Department of All-Ukrainian Free-fight Federation, Viktor Bohuslavskyi, who also supported the campaign. As of June , the number of views is 2,40

The video clip with the participation of Denys Minin, Head of International Organization “World street workout”. As of June , the number of views is ,992

The video clip with the participation of Stas Timofeienko, basketball player, Head of basketball club “Dnipro”. As of June , the number of views is 6,9

https://www.facebook.com/MenAgainstViolenceUA/videos/20677283435355/

Two video clips posted on the last stage of the information campaign with the participation of football players of FC “Dnipro” – head of football club Serhii Kravchenko and Serhii Lohinov – has gained 370 views as early as one day after. A number of views will continue to expand.

https://www.facebook.com/MenAgainstViolenceUA/videos/256959263044/

https://www.facebook.com/MenAgainstViolenceUA/videos/2806475563943/

Posters with the message “I do not hit” from the heroes of the videos were pasted in the gyms and public places of the city of Dnipro.

An additional point is that the information campaign caught the interest of regional mass media:

9-channel, Dnipro, reported on the past press conference “Say NO to Violence” (language: Ukrainian):

Link to the video: http://9-channel.com/208/04/04/choloviki-proti-nasilstva-u-dnipri-startuye-novij-sotsialnij-proekt-komentar/

Newspaper “New Format”: https://nf.dp.ua/208/04/muzhchiny-protiv-nasiliya-v-dnepre-startuyet-proyekt-dlya-preodoleniya-gendernogo-nasiliya/

And newspaper “Informator”:

Publication about trainings “Men against violence. Ally and defender” in newspaper «Gorod.dp.ua».

The support of the information campaign against domestic violence by Serhii Lohinov was featured on the official page of FC “Dnipro”:

All the news and publications made under the information campaign “Men against violence” as well as information about future activities and events of the community-based organization “SKVS Dnipro” you can find on the official page “Men against violence” on Facebook.

The information campaign “Men against violence”, together with six other initiatives that took and would take place in five different regions of Ukraine, was implemented under the project direction “Strategies to counter domestic violence caused by the consequences of war” with our financial and mentoring support.

We respond to this issue within the project “Overcoming the consequences of war together” through the one out of six working direction called “Counteracting the domestic violence as a consequence of war in east of Ukraine”.

Under the educational course “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as a consequence of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine” we trained active men from Ukrainian society including former combatants in east of Ukraine and internally displaced persons how to conduct the community activities aimed at the involvement of other men into the practices on prevention of domestic violence as a consequence of war.

The program participants have already delivered seminars on this topic with other men who were at some point touched by the war and at this time together with these men they are implementing awareness campaigns on domestic violence prevention in six regions of Ukraine. Clicking on this link you can find some outcomes of men’s work who are participants of our authorial program aimed at involvement of men into the important practices on prevention of domestic violence “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as a consequence of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine”

The program implementation is coming to an end at the moment and we already can see the positive effects and we would like to put forward the topic on dealing with men in the direction of counteracting the domestic violence for round table discussion. International Round Table will take place in Kyiv on July 27-28, 208.

During the International Round Table “Dealing with men on domestic violence topic: efficient prevention practices, dealing with offenders” we are planning to discuss the following topics:

• the overall situation related to domestic violence in Ukraine (statistics, studies, mass media, etc.);
• what practical experience dealing with men on domestic violence topic does exist, how efficient is it and what challenges do civil volunteers face in their work for this direction in Ukraine;
• what specific successful practices dealing with offenders and men (not offenders) on counteracting the domestic violence topic do exist;
• whether the direction of work dealing with men in counteracting the domestic violence has long-term perspective;
• sharing experiences of successful practices with organizations and experts from other countries experienced in involvement of men into the important practices of counteracting the domestic violence in the post-conflict space;
• and other

We invite all interested people to fill out this form that we can take into account your opinions in drafting the International Round Table Agenda: “Dealing with men on domestic violence topic: efficient prevention practices, dealing with offenders”.

The most interested in this topic people will be invited to participate. The invitation criterion will be your answers in this form.

Please, submit the filled out forms by June 3, 208.

If you have any questions you may contact Project Coordinator in Ukraine by the following address:

KhomenkoNadiia@kvlua.org   Khomenko Nadezhda (tel. 0990226675)

The projects are being implemented by participants in our series of trainings “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as a consequence of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine”, together with the like-minded people, who came around due to seminars held during the first phase of the project.

Currently, six out of seven information campaigns in six different regions of Ukraine are launched: “Men Against Violence” in Dnipro, “Men Do Not Batter” in Kharkiv, “World Without War Is a Home Without Violence” in Severodonetsk, “Man Is a Winner in His Family” in Odesa, “SFP Against Domestic Violence” in Kyiv and “ATO Veteran is the Defender of His Family” in Cherkassy.

As a part of the information campaigns, online initiatives (in the format, for example, of short videos), as well as actual events such as press conferences, round table, flash mobs, seminars, etc. are planned. Only a combination of online and offline elements will effectively and widely spread information on such an exciting topic.

As a part of the information campaigns, the following activities have already been carried out:

As a part of the campaign “Men Against Violence”:

Press conference entitled “Say NO to Violence” held on 04.04.8 with the participation of the Informer – Dnepr news agency in Dnipro.

Watch video (Language: Russian)

and

the seminar “Men Against Violence. Allies and defenders” held on 09.04.8 in Dnipro. The next seminar is scheduled for 30.04.8.

As a part of the information campaign “World Without War is a Home Without Violence”:

In three locations in Severodonetsk appeared the following poster with the slogan “I made my choice @NGOFSI #Мирбезвойны_ Домбезнасилия”.

As a part of the information campaign “Man is a Winner in His Family”:

Flash mob “Men against domestic violence” on 3.04.8 in Odesa on the Tyraspolska Square.

In addition, on May 5-6, a seminar “Conversation for Men” will be held in Odessa.

As part of the information campaign “Men Do Not batter”:

Interview with the initiator of the information campaign and the participant of our series of trainings, Jurii Chumak on the “Hromadske Radio” in Kharkiv.

Listen: (Language: Ukrainian)

As part of the framework of the information campaign “SFP Against Domestic Violence”:

Two short videos “Gender Inequality, Social Role of Men and Women” and “Men Against Domestic Violence”:

Watch video (Language: Russian):

Information on other upcoming events as a part of the information campaigns will be regularly posted on our website, as well as on the Facebook page.

Information campaigns, as well as the trainings held at the first stage of the project, received professional and financial support within the project area of the “Strategies to counter domestic violence caused by the consequences of war”.

Upon the finishing of first two modules in 207, the participants organized and delivered seminars for initiative groups of war-affected men (for former combatants and for internally displaced persons as well) in their oblasts as follows: Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odesa. During these seminars together with other men they discussed origins of domestic violence during the war in the east of Ukraine and elaborated possible response strategies.

During the third module the participants completed training on organization of information campaigns regarding the reduction and prevention of domestic violence as the consequences of war conflict. Working in small groups they developed a conception of their future projects on their own.

Trainers paid special attention to a combination of two different forms of public work as follows: in-person meetings and information campaigns because only due to this combination the delicate topic of domestic violence may be properly conveyed to as many people as possible.

In addition to training and implementation of information campaigns the participants learned how to film and assemble a video by means of speech communication, mass media and social media. As a practical exercise they created 2-minute video clips on topic “Domestic violence as a consequence of war” during the seminar. This resulted in presentation of 5 video clips aimed at different target audience among men (former combatants, internally displaced men, professional sportsmen, etc.).

During the period from March, 208 to June, 208 seven information campaigns in total will be implemented in 6 oblasts of Ukraine (Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odesa). These campaigns will be implemented by the participants of our training together with those men who were motivated at the seminars.

The information campaigns and delivered seminars will be implemented with our professional and financial support under the educational course.

As well as the first module that participants completed in April 207, the second module included rehabilitation and methodological components. Trainings on capacity building for trainers, preparation and delivering of own seminars aimed at involvement of men into activities regarding counteracting the domestic violence were held at this stage of program. Simulations of such training were held in the end of the program where participants with the support of trainers had the opportunity to put the acquired moderator skills into practice and deepen the gained knowledge.

Upon the completion of this module the participants will apply to the gained knowledge in actual life where they will organize and deliver seminars for war-affected initiative groups of men in their cities. The origins of domestic violence during the war in the east of Ukraine will be discussed during these seminars and possible response strategies will be elaborated as well. The seminars will be delivered with the financial and professional support under our project.

The next step would be the third module of the educational course where participants will be trained in organization of information campaigns regarding the reduction and prevention of domestic violence caused by the war conflict and participants will deliver such campaigns locally and involve male initiative groups gathered by them therein. Ten information campaigns are planned to be funded under our project.

Programs on counteracting the violence against women and children are implemented in Ukraine but it is the first time when program participants are not women who are often victims of violence but pro-active men who are ready to analyze personal and social experience in “peer-to-peer” conditions, to create teams and initiatives with alike men for domestic violence response in order to prevent the negative consequences of such a new phenomenon as domestic violence that is on the growth and rise.

Due to the conflict in the east of Ukraine there exists a growing aggression and violence in society that afflict such vulnerable segments of the population as women and children. Arising from the long-running military activities a number of men experienced in combat is increasing. At this time thousands of military men do a contract military service in Armed Forces and continue to take part in “anti-terrorism operation” where they often gain the traumatic experience whose consequences frequently impact on lives of themselves and people around them, when, after the return from the war the obtained traumas have influence on person’s acts in his family.

The educational program “From rehabilitation to education and practice of counteracting the critical growth of domestic violence as a consequence of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine” consists of four consecutive trainings and is aimed at dealing with men participated in ATO and/or internally displaced persons, i.e. with representatives of those population categories that were directly affected by the war activities in the east of Ukraine.

8 civil volunteers who have never dealt with the topic of counteracting the domestic violence before took part in training activities. As a result of training they will become multiplicators who will implement their projects within this direction locally. The participants represented different regions and oblasts of Ukraine. There were either locals of Donbas, GCA and southern oblasts or representatives of the capital and Lviv oblast, central Ukraine and northern oblasts of the country among them.

The trainers of the first part of the educational course were Inna Airapetian, Rehabilitation Therapist Trainer, and Janetta Akhilgova, EMAP Trainer.

EMAP is a program that includes the consideration of such topics as reasons and favorable factors for violence occurrence, status and power, interaction and interdependence between victim and violator, overall impact of violence on society and EMAP practical tools to counteract the violence against women and children.

During the first two days Inna Airapetian worked with participants on program of rehabilitation through personal experience of participants. Applying to complex of APT techniques men worked on their own feelings and emotional experience and shared their personal stories. “The formed trustworthy space made possible for the participants to work deeply on their own feelings, find out more about themselves, learn how to express their feelings, listen to each other and learn more about their own needs, fears and resources” – Course Trainer says.

During 4 days Janetta Akhilgova worked with the participants on topics related to gender roles in society, “figures of perfect man” created by society and discussed the consequences of these forced figures for men’s life. Especially the participants remembered a creation of “boxes for expectations and stereotypes” that men have to be consistent with. Any escape out of the box causes a public condemnation as if it is something intolerable. The participants saw that stereotypes really influence on us and prevent us from living.

The participants of the first module mentioned that this training gives them a possibility to gain new knowledge and desire to put the gained knowledge into practice. Also they highlighted the professional competence of trainers and their talents at teambuilding and ability to present information clearly.

The next phase of program will include trainings on capacity building for trainers, organization and conducting of information campaigns on prevention of domestic violence, creation and delivering presentations of their own projects, and participants will be able to independently deliver trainings on involvement of men into the important practices on counteracting the domestic violence through non-violent communication and other efficient tecniques, organize and deliver information campaigns on counteracting the domestic violence. It should be mentioned that the whole educational course is an authorial program of project organizers that is built on experience and expert examination of specialists practicing in post-conflict countries.