NATIONAL COURSE ON COUNSELLING SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE 7-9 MAY 2018

BACKGROUND

The One Stop Scheme by the Ministry of Women and Child Development has presented the opportunity to influence the current crisis intervention services. Through this scheme, crisis intervention centres called One Stop Centres have been established or are underway in various states across the country with the objective to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces. The aim was also to facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women. For effective implementation of these OSC, counsellors must work in coordination with the hospital within which or near which they are located.

Violence against women has been recognized as a health issue under the National Health Policy, 2017. The link between violence and health has been acknowledged along with the recognition to create services to respond to survivors. In 2005, The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, was developed to offer civil remedies and reliefs to women facing violence. In 2012, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was introduced. Both these laws have brought in the role of support persons and Protection Officers, generating a growing reliance on counselling services. It is imperative that counsellors be trained to respond to different forms of VAW and children and be equipped with the perspective and skills in responding to VAW.

CEHAT has been instrumental in developing an evidence-based model to respond to VAW and children. In 2014, the MOHFW laid down the guidelines and protocols for medico-legal care for survivors of sexual assault including psychosocial support. CEHAT had the opportunity to present its evidence based work of having established Dilaasa, a hospital based crisis centre in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. This evidence-based model has also featured in the leading international medical journal Lancet.

CEHAT is pleased to announce its National Course on counselling survivors of violence. The course is aimed at building a critical feminist perspective on the issue of violence against women and children and enhancing skills of the participants in responding to survivors of violence.

Feminist counselling has been accepted as one of the most effective counselling method for women living in abusive relationships as it questions power and inequality within the relationship. It encourages women to understand what they are experiencing in context of inequalities that arise out of larger oppressive structures. This form of counselling is gender-sensitive and has been used effectively while engaging with various vulnerable groups including transgenders and boys.

Participants from our recent course held in August 2017 received a positive response from participants belonging to various organisations and states. They were especially appreciative of having understood the link between violence and health. They felt they were able to analyse their own actions after being equipped with the feminist lens. Most counsellors felt they got a better perspective keeping in mind the position of the survivor in society, and felt they would be able to reach out to survivors in a more sensitive and empowering manner.

AIM

• To understand violence against women and children as a public health issue
• To identify the social and cultural determinants of VAW
• To be equipped with skills to provide psychosocial support to different age groups of women and children
• To be equipped to respond to special groups (children, intersex, sex workers, persons with disability)
•  Learn the principles and values of feminist counselling and their application while engaging with survivors
• To ensure self-care and prevention of burnout

WHO CAN APPLY

We invite states to depute counsellors appointed at One Stop Centres so that they are equipped with the perspective on violence against women and children and are prepared to respond to survivors sensitively using a survivor-centric approach. Hospital-based counsellors (RMNCH+A, ICTC, etc.), social workers, psychologists and lawyers are encouraged to participate.

Applicants must have at least 2 years of work experience in counselling in the area of VAW, with a working knowledge of English and Hindi.

We have limited seats for. Kindly register for the course along with your resume. You will be intimated regarding confirmation. CEHAT will bear the cost of accommodation during the course. Participants are requested to bear the cost of travel.

Deadline for the submission of application:  6 April, 2018

Venue:  To be announced

Medium of instruction: English and Hindi

Application form:  Online application form

Click here for download application form
 

The completed application form can be sent via email to: conference@cehat.org