“UNTIL recently I was one of them – Bulgarian women who have suffered from domestic violence. When my boyfriend hit me for the first time, I forgave him because I thought it would never happen again. But the blows did not stop. He always swore he loved me and that there never will be another time. So I stood by him, determined to cure his aggression with my love.”
In the end it was an association called Animus which cured it – by helping this 23-year-old get on with her life without him.
It was set up by two women who met victims of domestic and sexual violence through their work. They remain its co-directors six years on. Nadezhda Stoycheva said: “What brought us together was the professional interest in the problems of women survivors of traumatic events as well as the challenge of establishing a service for psychological counselling ! of women which never existed (in B ulgaria) before.
“In those years no one even talked about violence against women. We were always together so that we could support each other and share with each other our impressions of the way other people treated us when we talked about violence.”
The association is preparing to embark on an ambitious strategy for expanding its programmes – and plans to try out the ways of the West in its bid to help more women. A local fund and awareness raising campaign is about to be launched to help Animus build a bigger, better rehabilitation centre for women and eventually teenagers and children.
The ribbon will be cut by Sharon Miles, wife of the American ambassador, Richard Miles, at Sofia’s Irida Gallery next Friday – December 15. The Bulgarian artist Christo Kostov has agreed to support the cause with an exhibition of his paintings. From every sale he makes, 30 per cent will be going into the Animus Associat! ion building fund. The exhibition is from 6pm to 9pm at Irida, at 27 Ulitsa Gurko.
Animus has 12 professionals at its centre who work with 40 trained volunteers. It runs a 24-hour helpline, a crisis unit and offers three care programmes, providing psychological support and social assistance for victims of domestic and sexual violence and of trafficking, which is ever-increasing in Central and Eastern Europe.
Helpline staff do not necessarily speak English but there are English speakers at the office – 981 6740.
In the end it was an association called Animus which cured it – by helping this 23-year-old get on with her life without him.
It was set up by two women who met victims of domestic and sexual violence through their work. They remain its co-directors six years on. Nadezhda Stoycheva said: “What brought us together was the professional interest in the problems of women survivors of traumatic events as well as the challenge of establishing a service for psychological counselling ! of women which never existed (in B ulgaria) before.
“In those years no one even talked about violence against women. We were always together so that we could support each other and share with each other our impressions of the way other people treated us when we talked about violence.”
The association is preparing to embark on an ambitious strategy for expanding its programmes – and plans to try out the ways of the West in its bid to help more women. A local fund and awareness raising campaign is about to be launched to help Animus build a bigger, better rehabilitation centre for women and eventually teenagers and children.
The ribbon will be cut by Sharon Miles, wife of the American ambassador, Richard Miles, at Sofia’s Irida Gallery next Friday – December 15. The Bulgarian artist Christo Kostov has agreed to support the cause with an exhibition of his paintings. From every sale he makes, 30 per cent will be going into the Animus Associat! ion building fund. The exhibition is from 6pm to 9pm at Irida, at 27 Ulitsa Gurko.
Animus has 12 professionals at its centre who work with 40 trained volunteers. It runs a 24-hour helpline, a crisis unit and offers three care programmes, providing psychological support and social assistance for victims of domestic and sexual violence and of trafficking, which is ever-increasing in Central and Eastern Europe.
Helpline staff do not necessarily speak English but there are English speakers at the office – 981 6740.
