July / August's Project of the Month
SI Club of Viareggio-Versilia (Italy)
The first symptom of domestic violence is often the hardest to detect – even by those suffering it. Identifying economic violence involves training and raising awareness across a range of players, including bankers, notaries, employers, and those suffering from it themselves.
Economic violence aims to reduce women’s autonomy in their daily lives.
The issue of economic violence is compounded when we talk about women and girls with disabilities. In fact, the incidences of violence against women and girls with disabilities doubles when compared with those without disabilities.
“[F]inancial literacy of Italian women is on average lower than that of men, but the gap increases when a disability is added to the female gender, which can often facilitate a state of insecurity, dependence and sometimes even submission and abuse.”
– Dr Silvia Chelazzi, President of the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UICI ONLUS-APS) of Lucca
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The Soroptimists of Viareggio-Versilia knew they had to act to provide support, especially to those women in particularly fragile situations or with a disability.
The Italian Soroptimists partnered with the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UICI ONLUS-APS). They organised three meetings, spread over two days, on aspects of family financial management, banking, budgeting, and legal support related to violent situations. The meetings were predominantly addressed to women with visual disabilities.
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Approximately 30 women attended the courses, led by the Soroptimist members of Viareggio-Versilia. During which, participants took part in discussions and were provided with guidance and information. The aim being to raise awareness and combat violence against women, in full accordance with the policies of the Istanbul Convention. Participants benefited from financial learnings and expressed their hope to be able to further develop their skills with additional meetings in the future.
“The Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of the Territorial Section of Lucca thanks with great pleasure the Soroptimist International Club of Viareggio – Versilia who, with competence and professionalism, was able to create a financial education course, not only easily understandable… but also accessible to visually impaired women.”
– Dr Silvia Chelazzi, President of the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UICI ONLUS-APS) of Lucca
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