WE BRING EUROPE HOME: Specialized centre from Ungheni protects victims of violence in region

The first Service specialized for the victims of sexual violence from Moldova has worked in the Ungheni city for almost one year. The Service is financed by the European Union and was created with the support of UN Women, in partnership with the central and local authorities. The service gives any adult person, who was victim of the sexual violence, possibility to benefit from medical, legal, psychological and social assistance in a single location.    

Numerous challenges for violence victims

In Moldova, the gender-based violence victims, including of the sexual violence, face numerous challenges, from the fear of stigmatization up to the lack of specialized services and obstacles to accessing justice.

To remove these barriers, In March 2023, UN Women, in partnership with the local public authorities and the civil society, created the first regional integrated Service for the victims of sexual violence, with the European Union’s financial support. In this respect, the government approved, at a proposal by the Labour and Social Protection Ministry, the framework of regulation of the Service’s activity.    

The Service works at the Ungheni district hospital, where victims of the sexual violence from six districts are assisted: Ungheni, Falesti, Sangerei, Calarasi, Nisporeni and Telenesti. According to statistics data provided by law-enforcers, during 2017-2022, 539 sexual offences were recorded in these districts, of which 241 rapes.    

With care: sure access to specialized assistance

The service provides to the sexual violence victims access to specialized medical assistance, forensic expertise, psycho-social and legal assistance, as well as services of psychological evaluation and it covers the aforementioned districts.  

A service which might be institutionalized by the state

In last spring, UN Women Moldova and la Strada International Centre signed a cooperation agreement, in order to continue the piloting of the project launched by UN Women and financed by the European Union - EVOLVE4GE: Speeding up of the gender equality by ensuring women’s empowerment through economic opportunities, combating violence and the gender sensitive governance.

As a token of appreciation for the results achieved, the la Strada International Centre received the Gender Equality Promotion Prize at the fifth edition of the Civil Society Gala.    

Based on the results of the piloting, the Labour and Social Protection Ministry and the Health Ministry will decide on the mechanism of institutionalization for the implementation of this type of service nationally.

More surveys show that almost 40 per cent of the women from Moldova faced physical and/or sexual violence.   

Correspondent: Lilia Grubii