HELPLINE
For abused women and children
25210-58888
The past 5 years
the Ladies’ Union of Drama – Open Hospitality House (DLU-HOH):
Managed 647 calls, offering legal and psychological support, through the Helpline
It hosted 81 abused women, including their children, at the Open Hospitality House
WOMEN’S TESTIMONIES
που υπέστησαν κακοποίηση και μπόρεσαν να ορθοποδήσουν με τη βοήθεια της
Ένωσης Κυριών Δράμας – Σπίτι Ανοιχτής Φιλοξενίας
«I did not envy the luxuries and the glamour, I just wanted a normal life. To not feel uncomfortable by people’s strange and disparaging looks because of my background… As for my marriage? Of course it was a failure from the first moment. I left my house where I was treated as a maid and went to another one to do the servants’ work once again.»
“I have been a beneficiary of the Ladies’ Association of Drama – Open Hospitality House for many years and I owe them a lot… not only because they took care of me and I was able to stand on my feet but because with them, I don’t feel like the “gypsy”, which is how others see me, but a woman who has equal rights in life with the rest. And I have a name. And when I hear people say it at the Union, I feel alive…”
«Those were the only times I ever heard a nice word from my mother. I endured being molested since I was twelve years old to get my mother’s approval. I didn’t have it otherwise, and if that was the only way to get it I accepted being molested just for her love. If you call that love…»
“In that big house where I stayed (Open Hospitality House), I told my horrible story many times, I cried, I yelled, I burst out and I always had people by my side to stand by me, to guide me and support me.“
«For the next seven months I lived the same hell every day. I worked tirelessly, I didn’t even talk to a human being and every time I cried and begged him to let me go, to go find my child, he beat me mercilessly. I was going crazy… I couldn’t feel anything anymore. I was like a lifeless doll.»
“At first I was hesitant, but then I trusted them blindly. Especially Mrs. Aliki (President of DLU-HOH) who was like a mother to me. It was the first time in my life that I felt safe but I couldn’t rest for any reason. It took me a long time to trust them because I went through a lot and I didn’t want to open up, I was afraid. But in time I realized how much they cared…”
The Project
“TIME TO TALK”
The 14-month project “TIME TO TALK” aims to promote equality, to prevent and address the phenomenon of gender violence and its source causes, by addressing the problem of the lack of institutions in the Prefecture of Drama, specialized in counseling the victim of gender violence and in providing more effective support to victims of gender violence. Finally, it seeks to address the lack of awareness of the phenomenon of emerging forms of gender-based violence in cyberspace, such as electronic stalking.
The project “TIME TO TALK” is implemented in the framework of the Active citizens fund program, with the Ladies’ Union of Drama – Open Hospitality House.
The €13.5 million Active citizens fund is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and is part of the European Economic Area (EEA) funding mechanism for the period 2014 – 2021, known as EEA Grants. The program aims to strengthen and enhance the sustainability of civil society and to highlight its role in promoting democratic processes, enhancing citizens’ participation in public life and defending human rights. The Active citizens fund grant for Greece is managed jointly by the Bodossaki Foundation and Solidarity Now.
ead more here: www.activecitizensfund.gr
timetotalk.gr
Objectives
ADVISORY SERVICES
The provision of counselling services to the perpetrator of gender violence, so that there is an organized body that will operate in Drama, covering a gap of many years
VICTIM SUPPORT
Supporting victims of gender-based violence and achieving empowerment so that victims can claim their vindication and build their mental resilience
RESEARCH ON CYBER VIOLENCE
The emergence and recording of emerging forms of gender-based violence on the internet, through a survey of 3 Greek universities (University of West Attica, University of Peloponnese and Democritus University of Thrace)
INFORMATION & EDUCATION
Informing and educating pupils, students and their teachers about emerging forms of online violence
The ultimate goal is the preservation of human rights and human dignity.
Contributing to the elimination of the perpetuation of patriarchal and sexist culture, stereotypes and prejudices, which lead to the violation of democracy itself.
Project Actions
1. Training on managing the perpetrators of gender-based violence for DLU-HOH staff.
Two trainings to the project team as well as to the staff and volunteers of DLU-HOH on managing the perpetrators of gender-based violence by a team of experts from the Norwegian NGO “Alternative to Violence”, which deals exclusively with the management and support of the abusers, fighting the root causes of abuse and contributing to the prevention of new incidents of gender-based violence.
2. Training on support for victims of gender-based violence for the staff of the DLU-HOH.
Two trainings for the project team as well as for the staff and volunteers of DLU-HOH for the more effective support of victims of gender-based violence and information on the current legislative and social framework by the Associate Professor of the Department of Social Work of the Democritus University of Thrace, Chatzifotiou Sevasti.
3. Conduct research on emerging forms of cyber violence.
Interviews with representatives from Civil Society, focus groups with students and the creation and administration of an anonymous questionnaire to students, recording and analysis of the findings on emerging forms of gender-based violence in cyberspace in universities nationwide by Ms.Angeliki Antoniou – Assistant Professor at the Department of Archival, Library and Information Studies of the University of West Attica and Mr. Emmanuel Wallace Associate Professor of the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the University of Peloponnese.
4. Workshops with pupils, students and teachers on emerging forms of gender-based violence online.
Interactive training seminar (workshop) with 15 members of the 4 General High Schools of Drama, the 2 Vocational High Schools of Drama, the Music High School of Drama and the 2 Vocational Training Institutes of Drama, accompanied by their teachers. The aim of the workshops is to promote the equality of gender identities, by educating them on emerging forms of sexual harassment online, on how to use and protect themselves safely online, as well as to inform them about sexual harassment in the school and university environment. Information on the online game, to be created by the institution, for the recognition and fight against gender violence. Distribution of educational, informative and promotional material.
5. Open Hospitality House.
Support for victims of gender-based violence staying at the Shelter for Abused Women and Children. The Open Hospitality House, as it is called, is one of the first guesthouses in Greece, operating since 1995. With many years of experience, it provides psychological and legal support, medical care, clothing and footwear, accompaniment to health structures, police and prosecution authorities, as well as a safe haven, in which survivors of gender violence can gradually recover, strengthening their abilities, in order to reintegrate into the social and working environment.
6. Helpline for Abused Women and Children.
Continued operation of the 8-hour helpline and support for victims located in the Drama Region. Psychological and legal support for victims of gender-based violence in order to empower and inform them about their rights and how to exercise them. It has been operating since 2009 and it ended on 31.12.2020. The Line was funded directly by the EEA.
7. Providing counselling services to the perpetrators of gender-based violence.
in order to investigate the root causes of abuse and actively contribute to the prevention of new incidents of gender-based violence.
8. Recording and analysis of incidents of gender-based violence.
staying at the Open Hospitality House and/or those who contact the 8-hour Helpline for Abused Women and Children.
9. Creating the online game "Change the plot. Be a gender hero!".
Information and awareness raising for the general public in Drama Region (which will be integrated in the TimeToTalk website), in order to promote gender equality and prevent and combat gender-based violence. The aim is for victims and potential victims to understand what constitutes gender-based violence and what are the earliest signs and indications of abuse. The aim is to dispel myths and make everyone understand what a healthy relationship is. When the quiz game result shows that the player is being abused, Helplines and important phone numbers will then be displayed. The quiz will also include scoring questions of abusive or non-abusive behavior.
Communication Actions
of the Project
1. Inaugural presentation event of the project.
Presentation of the project. Informing and raising awareness among the citizens of Drama about domestic violence and every form of gender-based violence in the workplace/family/social environment in order to prevent and combat it. Raising awareness on gender equality and gender identity issues.
2. Event "ViaDrama".
On the occasion of the 25th of November, the day against violence against women, the DLU-HOH is holding an event to raise awareness and inform the public of Drama. These events have been carried out by the DLU-HOH for 8 years and the results of the awareness and approach of the citizens of Drama and their response are admirable.
3. Creating graffiti in a central point of Drama.
in order to inform and raise awareness among the citizens of the Municipality of Drama.
4. "Time to talk" website.
Renewal of the existing “TimeToTalk” website and integration of information material and the online game “Change the plot. Be a gender hero!”. Informing and raising awareness of the general population of Drama on issues of promoting gender equality, LGBTQ+ and human rights, but also on issues of gender-based violence, through informative material.
5. Closing conference and presentation of results.
Presentation of the whole project, the actions that took place and the results of the research on emerging forms of gender-based violence.
Timetotalk.gr
The project team
MARIA GALANOPOULOU
Project Manager Έργου
VASILIKI KAROPOULOU
Project Team Member
GEORGIA DIMITRIADOU
Project Team Member
SEVASTI CHATZIFOTIOU
Project Supervisor
ANGELIKI ANTONIOU
Project Partner
MANOLIS WALLACE
Project Partner
News & Announcements
Beginning of the “Time to Talk” project
Drama Ladies Union-House of Open Hospitality is implementing a new project called “Time to Talk”. This main pillar of this project is training the...
Breaking the vicious cycle of abuse!
We fight gender violence at its source!
“TIME TO TALK”
timetotalk.gr
114 Venizelou Street, 66131, Drama
Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
Greece
Google Map
Social Impact
The impact of the project is the provision of counselling services to the perpetrators and victims of gender violence by the appropriately trained staff of DLU-HOH and the creation of a new structure in Drama that will fill the existing gap and offer relief not only to the victims of gender violence but also to the whole society.
In addition, the identification and recording of emerging forms of gender-based violence on the internet by representatives of Civil Society and students from three Greek universities. Finally, the impact of the project concerns the awakening of students, adolescents and their teachers on issues of gender violence and gender equality and in particular the awareness of online forms of gender violence, their prevention and actions against them.