Safe housing, psychological support and legal protection – this is the help Rokada provided in Sumy region to a large internally displaced family that had been subjected to physical violence. Today the children and their mother live in Poltava, far away from the threat.
Nataliia Pocheptsova, a social worker at the Foundation’s regional office, learned about violence in a family raising nine children while working in one of the communities of Sumy region. She spoke with the mother of nine, who told her about her husband’s abuse, and decided to act immediately. She brought in her colleagues – a psychologist and a lawyer.
“When nine children in a family repeatedly witnessed physical violence against their mother, we had to act quickly but carefully. First of all, we thought about safety: where the family would live tomorrow, who would look after the children, what documents would be needed. My task was to bring together everyone who could help, so that the family would not have to look for a way out on their own,” says Nataliia Pocheptsova.
At the same time, Rokada psychologist Tetiana Matviienko worked with the family, helping them cope with the consequences of what they had been through.
“Children who have witnessed violence at home often keep their feelings to themselves. Some become quieter and more anxious, others, on the contrary, irritable. That is why it was important to create a space where everyone could talk about their feelings without fear. The sense of safety returns gradually, and we supported the family every step of the way,” explains Tetiana Matviienko.
The most difficult stage was finding safe housing. Together with partners from the Shliakh Ukrainy charitable foundation, the team found a home for the family in Poltava.
“It is very difficult to cope with such a situation on your own. It was partnership that made it possible to solve, in a short time, what seemed almost impossible: to move a large family to a safe place and help them settle in,” the social worker continues.
If you or your loved ones are experiencing violence, do not face it alone. Call the police at 102, the National Hotline on Violence Prevention at 116 123, or Rokada specialists in Sumy region: +380673098937.
The project is implemented by the Rokada Charitable Foundation with the support of Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS) in partnership with the Bukovinian Agency for Initiatives and Development (BAID) and Un Ponte Per ETS (UPP).
