"CHLOE" Women's Shelter for Refugees and Immigrants Survivors of Violence and Human Trafficking

SERVICES AND ACTIONS

Safe accommodation: Feeling safe is of profound importance for the survivor’s successful recovery. The location of the shelter is confidential and staff is presence 24/7.

Food package supply: Food and all other basic needs and necessities are provided by the program.

Medical care: It is provided during womens’ stay in the shelter in collaboration with hospitals or volunteer private doctors.

Psychological and psychiatric support: Psychological assessment and support, as well as psychiatric care, when needed, is provided by our mental health professional team. This kind of support is also available to our ‘out-patients’.

Legal advice: Consists of informing women of their choices, the possible risks, the legal procedures, the criminal code, the intervention of other statutory services and of their personal representation and support during the legal procedures.

Greek language classes: Acknowledging the importance of women to learn the Greek language in order to find employment, socialize, live permanently and integrate fully into the society, greek classes take place in cooperation with volunteers-educators, centers for education and NGOs. Work rehabilitation: Unemployment is a major psychosocial stress related factor. Special attention is paid into offering individualized vocational counseling to the unemployed women.

Outreach team for hospitalised women - “outpatient” unit (assessment/ care of non-resident women): Services are offered to foreign women – victims of violence-who are not accommodated into the shelter but face major psychosocial problems, which affect their daily functioning.

Crisis management: The intervention of a health care professional consists of the provision of medical, psychological and psychiatric assistance to an individual or a group in order for them to regain a satisfactory level of functioning in cases of crisis such as accidents, suicide attempts, fire, substance abuse, threats from a violent partner or human trafficker.

Follow – up: The cooperation with a woman doesn’t end when she leaves the premises but a follow up relationship is reinforced. The shelter remains a place of support where a woman can turn to in times of need for information or in crisis situations.

Volunteer training: The contribution of volunteers is of high importance for the running of the shelter. Staff is providing holistic educational, informational and psychological support to volunteers in order for them to gain the appropriate tools and in turn provide services to women accommodated in our premises.

Research: The scientific team of the shelter aiming at exploring the social and psychological factors of trafficking and domestic violence has already conducted a pilot research project, for which they obtained the first award in the 3rd National Conference for Sexual Abuse in 2007. At present the research is expanding by using cross cultural data from the women supported at the premises and information shared with the international partners.

Educational Programs: It consists of conducting educational seminars and programs in relation to trafficking for other health care professionals, social workers and the Police within Greece. Based on our expertise we are constantly developing educational materials according to the needs of the trainee group. Awareness Raisings: Public awareness raising of the phenomenon of trafficking and gender violence is of profound importance and we participate actively in events, seminars and galas with informative character.