“The Polish government cares about the health and safety of women” – 5 days ago such a spot was published by the Prime Minister’s office. The creator of the first rape women’s help center in Poland may have a lot of questions for the government in this matter. Rape victims, on the other hand, cannot understand why, under investigation, their abusers seem to have more rights than they do.
If you are experiencing emotional problems and would like advice or support, here you will find a list of organizations offering professional help. In a life-threatening situation, call 997 or 112.
The Feminoteka Foundation has launched Poland’s first Help Center for women after rape. In one place, women will receive medical, legal and psychological assistance. – It is our dream that it should be a point where these services and representatives of various institutions come, and not for a woman to go to different places – explains Joanna Piotrowska from the Feminoteka Foundation.
The dream is already crashing into Polish reality. The center will be run by a private foundation and funded by private donors. For the time being, the organizers only dream about cooperation with the police. – We are conducting talks, but they have stalled for now – says Joanna Piotrowska.
In the recommendations just published in Polish, the World Health Organization recommends Poland a systemic approach to the problem of sexual violence. – First of all, integrate care for victims of sexual violence into the existing health care system – explains Dr. Anvi Amin from the World Health Organization.
What about the rape definition bill?
In Europe, places that help women have been around for decades. There are sixteen in Ireland. We receive 85 percent of our funding from the government. Over the years, we have obtained funding from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health. The Irish government understands the damage done by sexual violence, says Shirley Scott of the Rape Crisis Center in Dublin.
The Polish government, on the other hand, releases propaganda materials, and blocks solutions that really protect women. – I would very much like the government not only to show beautiful pictures, but finally to pull out of the freezer an amendment to the law on the definition of rape – comments Joanna Piotrowska from the Feminoteka Foundation.
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The law on changing the definition of rape has been waiting for consideration for two years. – The United Right and the Confederation have always been against the procedure of this law – points out Anita Kucharska-Dziedzic, an MP from the Left and co-author of the draft law on changing the definition of rape.
Today, no one asks the rapist if he consented to sex, say the authors of the project. Victims are blamed for the rape. Danuta Wawrowska, a lawyer and co-author of the draft law on changing the definition of rape, points to the question that women often ask: “why did you not defend yourself, or how did you defend yourself. Why did you defend yourself ineffectively, or otherwise, why did you provoke, why you wore a large cleavage, why did you get drunk.”
To prove rape, a woman must show that she did not want it – by defending herself actively, visibly, loudly and with marks. But very often the reaction to rape is completely different. – Women are simply afraid, it is a threat to life, it is a health risk and they can react very differently, one of the reactions is simply freezing – points out Joanna Piotrowska.
Any raped woman who needs help can call the helpline of the Feminoteka Foundation. The state also does not pay a single zloty for the hotline.
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