The FYF Women's Center will open in late 2015. The Women's Center will be a safe space for Yezidi women, some of whom have endured unspeakable trauma. The Center will be run and operated by young Yezidi activists, and will provide a safe and nurturing environment with enriching and educational activities. In this context, FYF will also provide a pathway for post-trauma treatment by local practitioners trained by FYF's international post-trauma experts.
In 2014 ISIS terrorists invaded various parts of Iraq, killing untold numbers of civilians. In August 2014, ISIS invaded the city of Sinjar and surrounding areas, home to a religious minority population, the Yezidis. The terrorists killed the men and captured the women and girls, forcing them into abhorrent sexual slavery. Some girls managed to escape or were rescued through third parties. These women and girls are in desperate need of post-trauma psychological assistance.
The FYF Women's Center itself will be a safe space for Yezidi women and girls, offering activities such as painting, sewing, and computer & language courses. The Center will operate in coordination with a leading network of international post-trauma specialists. Separately, FYF will run post-trauma training programs for local practitioners, beginning in Oct 2015. The Women's Center will be the primary pathway for women seeking post-trauma treatment, available from FYF-vetted practitioners.
The trauma that has been inflicted upon these women and girls is beyond description. The Women's Center will firstly provide a much-needed safe space. The Women's Center will focus, on the surface, on arts and education. In this context, women can obtain skills useful to them in the future. But through the Center, they will also have access to quality post-trauma treatment. With the assistance of post-trauma specialists, these women and girls will hopefully rebuild their shattered lives.
