ANIMUS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION A-Z to Safety Project November 02, 2016, London

Animus Association Foundation National Helpline for Children 116 111, State Agency for Child Protection “Saint Petka” Crisis Unit for Women and Children Survivors of Violence Sofia Municipality Social Services Center for Children and Families Community Support Center „Mother & Baby“ Unit Hotline for Survivors of Violence 02/ 981 76 86 Animus Association Foundation Board of Trustees Executive Directors Managers’ Committee Team of psychotherapists and social workers Program Team, Administration, Accounting Department Psychotherapeutic and Psychoanalytic Center Psychotherapeutic services and psychoanalysis Department for Children Department for Adults Care programs for women survivors of domestic violence or trafficking in people Training Center Post-graduate qualification, in partnership with Sofia University Center for Professional Education Research Unit Unit for Prevention, Lobbying and Networking Program “La Strada Bulgaria”

ACTIVITIES UNDER THE A-Z TO SAFETY PROJECT IN BULGARIA providing advice, information and support to victims of harmful practices through the Telephone Helpline 116-111; Providing face-to-face counselling to victims; Supervisions to counselors and advisors;

6 professional group meetings with specialists and 8 workshops for professionals; 4 trainings for victims; developing training materials and project flyers for specialists working with victims of harmful practices .

Harmful practices in Bulgaria The most common harmful practices in Bulgaria are early and/or forced marriages and severe forms of domestic violence that end with murder within the family or community as part of “honour based” violence; Acid attacks against women are another harmful practice in Bulgaria. According to statistics Bulgaria ranks third on acid attacks after Afghanistan and India; Under the project A-Z to Safety our team mainly works with young Roma girls and women, who are victims or potential victims of early and/or forced marriages.

Stereotypes, problems and limits of Roma women, victims of harmful practices The only role in which the Roma woman is recognized is that of a housewife. She is the one to give birth, do the housework and look after children and family members. The only way for a Roma woman to gain importance is through her partner/relationship with her partner. Illiteracy, social deprivation, poverty, economical dependence on her partner, fear of rejection by the community, fear of losing her children are the main factors that sustain Roma women’s discrimination and isolation. .

CHАLLЕNGES Change the mindset in Roma communities and the attitude of professionals working in Roma communities who often consider early marriages and widespread violence in Roma communities as part of their culture and customs; Lack of a clear mechanism and understanding in the Roma communities how the violence as part of the harmful practices against women could be stopped and prevented; Lack of effective communication due to mutual distress and prejudice between representatives of Roma communities and governmental social, educational and health institutions concerning the harmful practices.

SOME GOOD PRACTICES OF PREVENTING CHILD MARRIAGES and EARLY PREGNANCIES IN BULGARIA Working individually with the victim, her family and relatives and the community at large; Support the victim and her family; Outreach work and social mediation; Develop social networking to create virtual support groups for girls victims of early and forced marriages; Identify student mentors to help with the reintegration of girls that have dropped out of schools because of early marriages.

SOME GOOD PRACTICES OF PREVENTING CHILD MARRIAGES AND EARLY PREGNANCIES IN BULGARIA Enhance inter-institutional cooperation on local level: involve school/kindergarten, health care professionals and members of Roma communities; Expand the good practice of Roma mediators in educational facilities; Involve girls and young women in the process of elaborating information and promotional materials in order to understand the problems of early and forced marriages; Raise awareness among majority community about the characteristics of Roma culture, habits and traditions; Legal counseling and representation in the court under the Law For Protection Against Domestic Violence.

Thank you for your attention! Animus Association  85 Ekzarh Yossif St., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Telephone/Fax: +359 2 983 52 05; 983 53 05; 983 54 05 e-mail: animus@animusassociation.org www.animusassociation.org