Soroptimist Union of Portugal and Club of Porto Invicta
The Union Portugal has always had a particular interest, through its clubs and its members, in the issue of gender based violence and domestic violence.
The founder of the Soroptimist Club Porto Invicta (Teresa Rosmaninho), was instrumental in the creation of separate spaces in police stations to care for victims of domestic violence. The club has been developing for about 20 years a project to support and include women victims of domestic violence in collaboration with the Portuguese Social Security, leading to the creation of the “Porto d’Abrigo”. Porto d’Abrigo is a shelter that welcomes women and their minor children to bring them physical and psychological protection.
Victims of domestic violence often must leave their homes and lose everything. They must learn to live with new people, who are experiencing similar suffering, and try to rebuild themselves by eventually finding a new job, a new school for their child, a new home, etc.
The shelter promotes the acquisition of personal skills in the view of family, social and professional reintegration.