Victims of domestic violence have a place to escape from the domestic bully
photo: Hans Štembera / PrahaIN.cz/Detention of an aggressive man
Over time, Prague undertook to modernize services providing assistance to victims of domestic and intimate partner violence, and has kept this promise. Above all, increasing the capacity of living places for victims was the main help. A new shelter opened last month and its services are already being used by the first female clients.
The organization ACORUS, which provides assistance to persons at risk of domestic violence, asked the capital city for help already in 2015, when their asylum was in a state of emergency. We have now managed to secure and open a new and fully equipped facility for these victims. Prague 8 and Prague 10 also advocated for cooperation on this project together with the social and property management of the City Hall of Prague.
The origin of ACORUS dates back to 1997, when this civic association was founded and began cooperation with the Prague 9 district. At that time, the facility for victims of domestic violence was opened and its reconstruction began. During the following years, the organization grew and acquired many foreign partnerships and provided education through various courses and securing sponsorships, and now the long-awaited reconstruction of the asylum has come to fruition.
“I am very happy that we managed to correct another historical debt to the people of Prague, specifically after years of lack of interest in solving the state of emergency of social services and ensuring decent asylum accommodation for very fragile and injured victims of intimate partner violence who, thanks to their lived experiences, need intensive psychosocial support. In addition, the new premises will make it possible to expand the crisis assistance service in residential form by two beds starting in the new year,” said Milena Johnová, councilor for social policy and healthcare, in a press release sent to the media.
In Prague, we can also find an asylum with a secret address for victims of domestic violence and their children. The Rosa Association provides help to women who are dealing with violence in the family. Clients who request entry to a classified facility must first contact the ROSA service and come for an entrance consultation in order to maintain the facility’s secrecy.
The services provided to women in this shelter must be partially paid for. The price per day of stay is 130 crowns, in case of arrival with children, the fee is 110 crowns per mother and 60 crowns per child, as stated on the website rosacentrum.cz.
Domestic violence includes both physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence perpetrated on partners. “According to representative research conducted in the Czech Republic in 2003 by the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the Faculty of Philosophy of the UK, up to 38 percent of women will experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetime, with women making up up to 95 percent of victims of intimate partner violence.” This information was presented on website rosacentrum.cz.
“For many victims of domestic violence, going to a shelter is often the only option to ensure safety for themselves and their children. It is not their fault that you have to leave your homes. It is therefore extremely important to have spaces prepared for them that will replace their homes for the necessary time and at the same time be a safe partner where they can calmly overcome the most difficult period after leaving the violent. The new asylum house, which we put into operation thanks to the intensive capital of Prague in June, definitely meets these requirements,” said Jaroslava Chaloupková, director of the ACORUS organization, in a press release sent to the media.