Prevents domestic violence of 200 women in Ecuador

For the first quarter 2024, the ECU 911 (national immediate response service) recorded an increase of 10.6% of emergencies attended in terms of domestic violence and violence against women and most of these cases occurred in Pichincha, our province. This data is intrinsically related to the security crisis that Ecuador is going through (inability of law enforcement to address the overflowing criminality) and shows the concern of citizens for their welfare, the need to feel cared for and protected. Many experts agree that in order to overcome this crisis, Ecuador needs a comprehensive approach that encompasses education and crime prevention, among other measures.

From February to June, our training workshops were focused as a short "Personal Empowerment" journey. Each month, a "life skill" was addressed through a specific theme: "Who am I" to deepen the skill "Self-awareness"; "How to understand what is happening now and around me" for "Critical thinking"; "Learning to decide" for "Decision-making" and "Relationship with my partner" for "Interpersonal relationships". Other educational, recreational and cultural spaces were also provided, such as a conversation with the renowned Ecuadorian journalist Francisco Rocha to understand the reality of the country and its most recent events (Popular Consultation, tax hikes, insecurity), monthly workshops on "Finances for the home", family bingo, preparation of Ecuadorian dishes, trips on the new Quito Metro and to historical sites. 

The purpose of all these activities is as simple as it is fundamental: to provide more than 250 women with the necessary tools to learn to cope resiliently with every circumstance in their lives and to choose for their own well-being (physical, mental) and that of their families. Eighteen (18) children of vulnerable mothers with behavioral, emotional and learning disorders received care from specialists at the Universidad Particular Internacional (UISEK). We have continued to follow 50 women victims of violence and 41% have decided to go to a specialist (psychological, legal); thanks to our accompaniment and by listening to the experience of other mothers in our spaces, these women have learned to value themselves, to identify the types of violence so as not to let themselves be assaulted, to advise and support themselves with possible solutions or even have had the courage to separate from their aggressors.

Finally, 42 women entrepreneurs received monthly personalized tutoring and training. During this period they learned notions of "Visual Identity" and defined all the elements of their brands, and also about "The value of family entrepreneurship" (the latter by Monica Villagómez, president of the Sembrar Board of Directors with extensive experience in finance and corporate governance) where they learned that their ventures can strengthen family unity and generate jobs for other families.

All these are necessary elements to overcome violence: empowerment, resilience, family, community and social unity. Thank you for your support!

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Eradicating violence in Ecuador is a major challenge. In 2023, this country ranked among the 3 most violent countries in Latin America due to armed violence, organized crime and impunity, leading to an unprecedented national crisis and a declaration of "internal armed conflict" as a government measure to try to regain control of public security. More specifically, in Quito, the rates of domestic violence increased and psychological violence against women ranked fifth in terms of complaints, even though citizens have stopped reporting incidents because they have lost confidence in the institutions.

Against this backdrop, we have continued to accompany 260 vulnerable women in the Pisulí and La Roldós neighborhoods (where some criminal gangs are present and have been identified as "military targets"). We are convinced that in order to contribute -from civil society- to break this spiral of violence we have to favor "spaces of peace" where capacities for the peaceful management of conflicts are developed.

In this sense, our training meetings and monthly home visits have become essential spaces where victims and vulnerable women establish a bond of trust with their counselor and other mothers, where they can open up, talk about their experiences and give or receive emotional support for their family conflicts. This has allowed us to identify some 50 victims and provide them with differentiated follow-up, help them to recognize their violence, orient them, direct them to specialist allies or motivate them not to leave their professional care.

An important step in this period has been the agreement with the SEK International University, with which master's degree students in psychology have conducted two workshops on the prevention of gender violence and addictions for 60 verified or yet to be confirmed victims. It was found that most of them still do not distinguish between the different types of violence (especially patrimonial violence). Some of them were encouraged to talk about some episodes and express their doubts, but there is still a long way to go because violence is very normalized in their environment. These women learned when there is a need to initiate a therapeutic process, how to break stereotypes and set limits in the face of aggression, how to detect addictions, cyberbullying towards their children and strategies to regain confidence.

In the following months, UISEK has already started psychological counseling for women and their children.

Links:

• Workshop of violence prevention by UISEK