The two training courses on "mediation with survivors of gender-based violence in transcultural contexts" within the project BASE - Support services for migrant and refugee girls and women in cases of sexual and gender-based violence, organised by CESIE, came to an end last week in Palermo, Italy.

The training programme included two courses, one for Cultural Advisors and one for professionals working with migrant survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). Both trainings were held by Maria Chiara Monti, psychologist and group psychotherapist, expert in Ethnopsychology, with the support of CESIE co-trainers.

Gender-based violence is, unfortunately, a tragic phenomenon that the Covid-19 emergency has only exacerbated. Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we decided to start both courses, but in online mode.

The response of the participants confirmed the need to address this phenomenon and to learn more and more about the topic for an effective response, especially when GBV is perpetrated against vulnerable groups, in this case women and girls who have undertaken a migratory path.

The first training course was attended by 25 women, mostly cultural mediators, with a migration background. Together we tackled the issues of gender roles and stereotypes in socio-cultural contexts, GBV in its multiple forms, the relevant support services to address when an abuse occurs and how to guide survivors towards those services, assuming the role we have defined as "cultural advisors", able to collaborate and communicate effectively with professionals dealing with cases of GBV.

The second training course was attended by 33 professionals including social workers, psychologists, legal workers, judges and mediators. Together we tried to better understand the influence that cultural background can have on GBV and how best to communicate with survivors and their families through an effective communication with the cultural advisors.

If you are interested in learning more about the prevention of GBV in transcultural contexts visit the BASE Platform http://base.uncrcpc.org//Main/OLP, for exercises and insights on the topic, and visit our website http://base.uncrcpc.org/ to stay updated on the next events of the project.

For any information please contact Tiziana Fantucchio, tiziana.fantucchio@cesie.org