In the past five years the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center has conducted trainings in 40 cities in 25 countries around the world. Hundreds of women & girls attended our trainings. From these, over 100 became Outreach & Education Ambassadors, Global Voices united to ending domestic violence and sexual assault against women. In 2014, will conduct a one day training program in Istanbul, Turkey to train 20 women & girls to become Global Voices Against Violence.
A United Nations report published last July 2011 indicated that the incidence of domestic violence against women in Turkey topped the percentages in the United States and Europe. The 2012 US State Department report on human rights in Turkey states, "Government statistics on violence against women were incomplete, and societal acceptance of domestic abuse in some cases contributed to its under reporting."
From our experience of conducting one day trainings in 40 cities in 25 countries around the world, training women and girls creates a giant ripple effect. i.e. train one woman or girl can reach thousands as they take what they learned and present to their communities, lobby to enact violence against women laws, learn to organize for change and expand the knowledge of access to resources for victims. These trainings are free for delegates. $1,200 will cover out-of-pocket costs and materials.
The project serves 500 women per year empowering them to find alternatives to a life of violence so their children grow up in violence free homes with their self-esteem in tact with the hope of stopping the cycle of violence in future generations. By giving 20 women and girls Global Voice training, they can reach thousands and influence social change in Turkey.