A four-day training course on psychological counseling for victims of domestic violence concluded on May 12, 2017 at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.
The OSCE office says the course for twenty-one participants from civil society organizations, OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centers and a representative from the State Women’s Center of Tajikistan was the fourth in a series of courses on psychological counseling for victims of domestic violence.
The training course emphasized best practices in the field. Participants had the opportunity to analyze conflict situations using various methods and techniques. They acquired new skills in interpersonal interaction with victims and practiced applying these in hands-on exercises and role plays.
Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer, said: “Domestic violence leaves a mark on the entire family and often people who experience it are reluctant to talk about it. With the help of these courses, we train the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centers staff who work with the victims of domestic violence so that they will be able to handle difficult discussions and provide psychological support. They also learn how to protect themselves from the emotional trauma that may occur when working with victims of domestic violence.”
Building the capacity of civil society representatives to support the survivors of domestic violence is one of the commitments of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in implementing the OSCE’s 2004 Gender Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality.
