Law Students in Bolivia Provide Online Consultation to Victims of Domestic Violence
Jan 07 2010, Bolivia [BO], Livelihood opportunities
- Source:
- Stijn van der Krogt [skrogt(at)iicd.org]
- Country:
- Bolivia [BO]
- Sector:
- Livelihood opportunities
Law and psychology students in Santa Cruz provide online legal and psychological advice to women victims of domestic violence. This is part of the IICD-supported Casa de la Mujer project. The students are almost finished or recently graduated from the Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno.
The students and graduates are online during office hours at weekdays to answer questions from women who live in the periphery of Santa Cruz and who are victims of violence. This violence can be isolation, sexual and physical violence, intimidation, financial abuse, psychological violence or domestic slavery. In addition to lawyers and psychologists, Casa de la Mujer also works with social workers.
Because most of the women that consult Casa de la Mujer have no computer of their own, Casa de la Mujer has five computer centres throughout Santa Cruz. Computers in the centres can be used for free and Casa de la Mujer also provides training in the use of computers for women so that they can send messages to lawyers, psychologists or social workers or other victims of domestic abuse anonymously.
Apart from the online services, Casa de la Mujer legal advisers also accompany people to court when there are trials. Casa de la Mujer also uses radio broadcasts to inform women and call them to action. In 2010 Casa de la Mujer will explore the possibilities to use a text message service so women can communicate with each other about domestic abuse.