The team of the Toruń chapter of the Women’s Rights Centre consists of lawyers, psychotherapists, child psychologists, sexologists, and crisis interveners. They answer the emergency phone every day, support persons experiencing violence in their contacts with the police and the court and offer short-term therapies. “We help women in toxic and violent relationships with their partners, young non-binary persons who experience violence from their parents and peers, older women neglected by their adult children, non-heteronormative persons experiencing mobbing, or students who experienced sexual violence”. The chapter has been operating since 2020 – in just a few months its volunteers provided 130 individual legal consultations and 150 instances of psychological advice.

Toruń chapter of WRC will organize closed, three-month support groups for women and persons who are dealing with the effects of violence: social anxiety, being lost in relationships with their loved ones, difficulties at work, low self-esteem. “We know how important group therapy in such situations is, meeting in a friendly, empathetic environment, and an atmosphere of acceptance and similar experiences. We want to eliminate the sense of loneliness accompanying women subjected to violence and non-binary persons who are being discriminated against. We want to inspire their trust in sisterhood and women’s strength”.

Thanks to FemFund’s support, WRC will offer participants relaxation classes with a sexologist, workshops in self-defense and self-defense with words. Dedicated classes for the Deaf and queer persons are also planned. “Our goal is for each person to finish the classes with a sense of strength coming from their own womanhood, to be able to react to violence and not be afraid of reaching for help”, adds the group.

Grant amount: PLN 4,400.00

Photos: Women’s Rights Centre – Toruń Chapter
Photos: Emilia Oksentowicz / .kolektyw