At the end of November 2021, SI Zilina members stood up in front of a group of girls aged 14-18 and started to present. This was no ordinary presentation, or audience. The girls were almost all from a troubled family environment, and the presentation was on ‘Prevention of Domestic Violence, Violence against Women and Children’.
Most of the girls taking part in the presentation were witnesses or victims of domestic violence. They are therefore a high-risk, vulnerable group. All of whom have some form of behavioural disorder which has led them to be housed at the Lietavska Lucka Diagnostic Center.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone, yet the problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied.
Long-term member of the SI club Zilina, Mgr. Eva Manikova, works in the centre as a special pedagogue and knows only too well the benefit of educating the girls about what they have been through, to help change their future. Her deep knowledge of the girls’ situations and needs are behind the realisation of the whole project and presentation.
The aim of the presentation was to acquaint students with the issue of domestic violence, and to show them how to improve and resolve the difficult life situations they have faced and may still face in the future.
The presentation was met with great success. At the end, there was a great discussion with questions and opinions. Girls also received a leaflet with basic information about where and how to seek help and were given presents for writing and drawing.
As the students found the topic so beneficial and new students arrive at the centre every six months, SI Club Zilina plans to repeat this event on a regular basis.
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