New hope for the abused
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 23rd March 2007
A NEWLY opened refuge for battered women aims to break the cycle of domestic violence, through counselling, education and awareness campaigns, it was announced yesterday.
The Aisha Yateem Family Counselling Centre in Hamad Town, the first of its kind rehabilitation centre in the region, was opened on Wednesday by Her Highness Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad and Supreme Council for Women chairwoman.
The BD330,000 facility has been established by the Bahrain Young Ladies Association (BYLA), in conjunction with the Social Development Ministry.
New hope for the abused
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 23rd March 2007
A NEWLY opened refuge for battered women aims to break the cycle of domestic violence, through counselling, education and awareness campaigns, it was announced yesterday.
The Aisha Yateem Family Counselling Centre in Hamad Town, the first of its kind rehabilitation centre in the region, was opened on Wednesday by Her Highness Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad and Supreme Council for Women chairwoman.
The BD330,000 facility has been established by the Bahrain Young Ladies Association (BYLA), in conjunction with the Social Development Ministry.
The centre provides emergency accommodation for abused women and offers legal advice and counselling by social psychologists.
It includes three flats that provide shelter for up to six women at a time – or three families if they include children.
BYLA board member and training and awareness programme co-ordinator Farida Ghulam said domestic violence was passed down through families and the centre aimed to break the cycle, by rehabilitating victims and increasing public awareness of the problem.
“We are ready to go to all areas to create awareness about domestic violence among both genders,” Ms Ghulam said at a Press conference held at the centre yesterday.
“We will go where men and women gather, such as mosques, and ma’atams.
“It’s about breaking the silence through education and not having children exposed to violence in the home.”
She said the centre would offer battered women help through counselling, meditation and yoga classes and give them opportunities to develop their skills in IT and other areas.
The centre will also run workshops for various groups including those working with victims of domestic violence, women, families and university students.
It will also conduct research and studies related to family and psychological counselling.
The first educational and awareness workshops will be held for centre staff and interested members of the public, from 9.30am to 1pm, tomorrow and Sunday.
They will be run free of charge by International Founder of the Shelter Movement for Victims of Domestic Violence Erin Pizzey, who is in Bahrain to offer help and guidance to the centre until Monday.
The workshops are open to teachers, parents, counsellors, health professionals, social workers and others interested in helping women and children.
They will be presented in English and translated in Arabic by Ms Ghulam tomorrow and Dr Muneera Fakhro on Sunday.
“We are calling police, teachers and government bodies to attend to create more awareness in schools and government offices,” said Ms Ghulam.
“We will also begin the process of hiring a social worker to manage the centre.
“We are looking for a Bahraini but we will also bring in consultants from abroad to train them.”
Tomorrow’s workshop will focus on domestic violence and adults. It will discuss attitudes, values and responses to domestic violence; the recognition of the impact of domestic violence; and common indicators of domestic violence.
The impact of domestic violence upon children; domestic violence and child abuse; and possible responses by children to domestic violence will also be explored.
On Sunday the workshop will focus on similar issues, but those relating to domestic violence and children.
Anyone wishing to attend the workshops should call Ms Ghulam on 39464623 for more information. The centre is named after Aisha Yateem, the late women’s rights activist and human rights campaigner, who died of a heart attack in 2003 at the age of 82.
She founded the BYLA in 1951, which was the first women’s club in the Gulf.
Hussein Ali Yateem’s family paid for the construction of the centre and will be donating BD10,000 every year, for the next five years to help with running costs.
The family are also in the process of building several shops that can be turned into cold stores, beauty salons and or similar outlets, which will provide another source of income for the centre.
The centre’s address is Building 1892, Road 1128, Hamad Town 1211 (Roundabout 17). Its telephone number is 17430488, fax 17430557 and e-mail aycc@batelco.com.bh.
© Gulf Daily News
