We are pleased to inform you that thanks to your donations, from the beginning of February 2022 and for the next three months, the free legal aid and psychosocial support program for survivors of gender-based violence is operating. It is addressed to Greek and migrant women – victims of all forms of abuse, who have low incomes and are citizens or residents of municipalities in the region of Attica.

Through the previous similar program, with the support of the Bodossaki Foundation, we supported 153 women – survivors of mainly domestic/intimate partner violence, but also women who faced psychological/verbal violence, sexual harassment, stalking, rape, trafficking, sexual abuse via images.

In October 2021, with the end of the program and despite our anguished efforts to find new funding, inevitably the legal aid services were drastically reduced, unable to respond to a significant increase in requests – the result of both the outbreak of domestic violence in  pandemic and the wave of revelations of Greek #metoo. In these three months, our institution supported pending cases already taken on and extremely urgent cases.

Valuable contribution

Today is the time to make good use of the incredibly important support you all gave us during 2021. Your contribution is absolutely critical to continue providing free legal aid to survivors of gender-based violence. Given the fact that, we are the only non-profit organization that has all of these specialized services and the corresponding trained staff (lawyers, psychologists), covering not only existing needs but also public deficiencies – the uninterrupted continuation of the services provided is our absolute priority.

Thanks to your priceless trust and support we have succeeded! Special thanks to EFOOD, which covered half of the expenses with the Love delivery campaign, and to the companies: Anastasios Hair Style Studio with the “Talk to me” campaign, legrand (only in Greek), Ravago Greece Group, Wella Company, KALLIFRONAS, PATRINOS & KILIMIRIS, eLearning Industry – for their donations.

A special mention goes to a number of supporters who organised actions, donating part or all of the earnings to the organisation, in order to support our legal service. We are especially grateful to: the initiative of 21 women photographers We change picture, iMikriOllandeza, FosBloque, AmiYiamiTube for the bazaar they organized, the contributors of the theatrical performance “Chamber No 6” (only in Greek), the narrators of the performance “Stories with women who defeated the Beast“, the people of A.O. Eleftheria Moschatou for organizing a friendly women’s basketball match (only in Greek), the organizers of the action ”Christmas Yoga for a Cause”. 

The contribution of the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Athens was very moving with its donation in memory (only in Greek) of the late Garyfallia Psarrakou, the support of the students of the Greek department of the Hellenic-French School Eugene Delacroix and the 7th Primary School of Daphni, as well as the support of employee associations (WWF HELLAS, INE GSEE).

Finally, we thank all of you for your valuable contribution to our common effort to address the consequences of gender-based violence in the lives of thousands of women. The contribution of each and every one of you individually and all together is a practical indication of awareness raising on gender-based violence and solidarity to its victims, and fills us with a sense of responsibility and determination to continue our work.

Free legal assistance

The program provides:

• legal assistance from qualified lawyers. Specifically: legal advice, assistance in filing a complaint, representation in criminal court, issue of injunctions, interim orders and/or lawsuits and representation in the relevant courts, assistance in the procedure for issuing a residence permit for humanitarian reasons (in cases of migrant women without legal documents), etc.
• psychosocial counselling by a specialised psychologist. Includes provision of mental health first aid (3 sessions), referral and linkage with other services etc.

If you are a survivor and in need of help call us on 21 0324 4380, daily 10.30-14.30.