With Education Against Violence Toward Girls

In second three months within of the project "Education against violence toward girls", the activists of Center for Girls held 4 workshops in Nis, with 55 girls in 1 elementary school. This is the first time that we are done any workshop in this school. Girls were open, shared experiences and actively participated in the workshop. They liked this workshops because we openly spoke and they had support to say something on this topic. They often do not have the opportunity to talk about it with anyone because is taboo topic in our community.

It is especially important to mention that they didn't had workshops like this before, to sat in the circle, to discuss and where everyone has the opportunity to say their opinion.

From the evaluation of the girls who passed the workshop you can see what they learned and what they liked:

• I liked it because I learned that I need to scream when I'm in danger. More about violence against women. How can I defend myself when somebody attacks me.

• Today, I learned that touching intimate parts of the body without permission is actually sexual sesual harasment, and that there is economic violence. I liked it, it was interesting.

•  We learned how to defend ourselves in case of attempted rape. I loved it.

• I learned that a rapist can even be someone who is very close to us. Rape it happens indoors, not in forests. It happens in closed spaces like house, apartment, cars. I am very satisfied with this workshop.

• To recognize a situation that would endanger me in any way and how to save myself from that.

After or during workshops the girls expressed their wish that they would like to learn some movements of self-defense in order to be able to defend themselves and in the event that they are attacked.

Workshops were done at the elementary school ‘’Ivan Goran Kovacic’’. The workshops were led by Tatjana Nikolic and Marija Virijevic. Photographed by Silvija Mihajlovic.