The Day Center became the first such facility not only for the city, but also for the Oblast. Psychologists and lawyers will work there, there is a room for group classes and discussions and an art therapy space for children.

According to the Deputy Mayor of Mariupol Ksenia Sukhova, the purpose of the Day Center is not only to assist those affected, but also to prevent domestic violence:

“It is very important that there will be experts that will work not only with the victims, but also with the aggressors. This is highly important, because if we want to build a sustainable society, if we want this not to happen in the future, then we must address all aspects of this issue”.

People will be received by appointment only. According to Liubov Galchenko, head of the Mariupol City Center of Social Services for Families, Children and Youth, the number of cases of domestic violence in the city is constantly growing. However, the growth rate is only attributed to detection statistics. People have growing confidence in the police and social services and more often seek help than they did a few years ago. On average, 20 cases are registered every day in Mariupol:

“We communicate with social workers, with representatives of families, and based on the needs of each family we develop a plan of joint action aimed to overcome the crisis. Speaking of the program, how long it should last, it’s decided on a case-by-case basis. Maybe a person will need a month, and maybe a year”.

Since the beginning of 2020, more than 2,400 cases of domestic violence have been registered in the Donetsk Oblast, half of them in Mariupol.

It should be recalled that with the support of UNFPA Ukraine in Mariupol earlier the shelter for victims of domestic psychological, economic, physical, sexual violence was opened. Its address is not disclosed; there one can hide from the aggressor, if there is no other housing. If there is no need to relocate, psychological and legal assistance to the affected women will be provided in the Day Center. After all, most often the victims need psychological assistance.

The Day Center in Mariupol was opened within the framework of the UNFPA Programme on Combating and Prevention of Domestic Violence with the support of the Governments of the UK and Estonia in cooperation with the NGO ‘Donetsk Women’s Council’.