On June 23, 2021, the ViViDo project team organized, via Zoom, the Workshop to improve responses and results in combating and preventing VD, especially aimed at RNAVVD entities.
The event was attended by speakers Sandra Ribeiro, President of the CIG; Elza Pais, Doctoral Student at CICS.NOVA; Susana Ramos, Coordinator of the National Unit for the Management of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area; Ana Lúcia Teixeira Researcher at CICS.NOVA and Operational Coordinator at the National Observatory of Violence and Gender (ONVG) and moderation by Margarida Queirós, coordinator of the ViViDo Project. From a logistical and technical point of view, members of the ViViDo team were supported: Tiago Mindrico, Luís Balula, Ana Ribeiro, Jennifer McGarrigle and Paulo Morgado.
Sandra Ribeiro, president of the CIG, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of the ViViDo project, framed by the EEA Grants funding mechanism, in fulfilling the objectives of supporting victims of domestic violence through RNAVVD.
Elza Pais highlighted the fundamental role of NGOs in the implementation of public policies in the area of "domestic and gender-based violence", revealed recent data and analyzed the reasons for the persistence of "domestic and gender-based violence", despite all the policies adopted to date. He also referred to proposals under study in this legislature that can contribute to introducing improvements in the prevention and support system for victims of "domestic and gender-based violence" - such as the project on the status of victim for children and the project of the mechanism for protecting victims in the subsequent 72 hours to the complaint.
In this event, 145 people were registered, more than 100 accounts simultaneously online, more than 80 entities, shared and discussed different challenges related to combating and preventing VDVG. Four thematic rooms were presented for registration and debate: ROOM 1 “What is the desirable role and model in the future of RNAVVD entities for providing better support to victims?”; ROOM 2 “What strategies to empower VDVG victims in order to reduce institutional recidivism?”; ROOM 3 “How to adapt/improve the responsiveness of RNAVVD structures to the challenges of the pandemic or similar circumstances?” and ROOM 4 “What strategies to better adapt the responses of support structures to the specificity of domestic violence in the LGBTI community?”. Due to the large affluence in the first two rooms, there was a need to unfold them, resulting in a total of 6 Discussion Rooms.
The working groups in the different rooms, with access to the Google Jam digital tool, had approximately 45 minutes to freely discuss the subjects for which they had signed up, with technical support from members of the ViViDo team.
This dynamic way of discussing sensitive topics for professionals at RNAVVD resulted in a presentation of about 10 minutes per room, where the problems, challenges and possible solutions that each group found were presented. Next, Ana Lucia Teixeira summarized the challenges facing RNAVVD.
This event had the particularity of specifically targeting RNAVVD professionals and seeking to “give them a voice”. The ViViDo project team highlights the great spirit of cooperation and mutual help in the discussion. It was an important moment of sharing, debate and reflection that will greatly contribute to ViViDo and, more broadly, to policies to prevent and combat VDVG in Portugal.
At the end of the Workshop, Susana Ramos, National Coordinator of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism Management Unit, closed the event. The ViViDo team is deeply grateful, to the financial mechanism and its co-ordinator, for all the support and incentives received.
During the Workshop and even in the final moments, we received affectionate and motivating comments, as was the case with the comment of the Technical Director "Soroptimist Porto", Joana Sampaio, which we leave here:
The ViViDo project team is deeply grateful to all those present. More news will be released soon!