A safe haven for victims of gender-based violence

(LĐXH) - The One-Stop Service Center, also known as the Sunshine House, has become a peaceful haven for those unfortunate lives due to gender-based violence.

Where the victim finds the Sunshine of life

With the goal of detecting, preventing, and promptly assisting women and girls who are victims of violence and sexual abuse, as well as raising awareness and changing community behavior, contributing to preventing and repelling acts of violence and sexual abuse against women and girls, in 2020, the first Sunshine House was established in Quang Ninh province.

After more than 4 years of operation, Anh Duong House has become a solid support for women suffering from domestic violence and gender-based violence.

Here, victims are provided with essential services completely free of charge 24/7, including: Counseling support, consultation via hotline and at the office, building a support plan, providing safe shelter in case of emergency, medical care and support, referral and connection to legal support, support with life skills, connection to vocational training and job creation for victims.

The services provided here are based on the principle of victim-centeredness, victims are treated with respect, equality and confidentiality is ensured. Victims of gender-based violence, when in need, are received, intervened and supported promptly to resolve the violence problem.

Living with her husband under the same roof for 6 years, Ms. NTH (Tien Yen district, Quang Ninh province) has never had a peaceful life. Her life is full of dark and unhappy days. Only when she knew about the Sunshine House, her life changed, she felt like she found herself again.

Ms. H shared: “After being abused for a long time, many times I just wanted to die. I was determined to leave home and take my child with me. When I came to the Sunshine House, I was counseled and helped in many ways by social workers. I received psychological counseling and learned how to handle violent behavior in my family.

At Anh Duong House, mother and child have stabilized their psychology and regained balance in life.

Pointing to her child playing happily next to the toy corner, Ms. NTH said: “The days of him beating and torturing me and my child are over. Now we have found our own path in life. Seeing my child like this, I feel very happy.”

After receiving safe temporary shelter and connection to medical and judicial services... at Anh Duong House in Thanh Hoa province, Ms. LTL (Trieu Son, Thanh Hoa) overcame her inferiority complex, rose up and solved her problems, integrated into the community and became a social worker collaborator to support and connect services of Anh Duong House and Hotline 18001744 for those who have been abused.

In the letter describing her journey of being abused and learning about the Sunshine House, Ms. L wrote: “I am a retired teacher who used to live in the shadow of domestic violence. Since 1994 (after 2 years of marriage), my life has been a long series of days of fear and frequent violence. My husband drank, gambled, had affairs and beat me even when I was pregnant.

I had to be patient and endure to keep the family peaceful and raise two children. The peak was in March 2022, when my husband cursed, beat, destroyed things, burned the house and threatened to kill me, I went to the Sunshine House through the hotline 18001744 for support. Here, I was provided with safe accommodation, psychological and legal support and counseling sessions to help me overcome mental and physical trauma.

After that, I filed for divorce. Now, I have a happy life with my children. The Anh Duong House is a very meaningful model that brings light, faith, and new hope to those who have suffered violence, including me."

Replicating the Sunshine House model

Recently, on January 9, the One-Stop Service Center to support women and girls who suffer from gender-based violence in Hoa Binh province and neighboring areas, also known as the Sunshine House of Hoa Binh province, was officially opened. Up to now, the country has 5 Sunshine Houses, located in the provinces and cities of Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hoa Binh.

The Sunshine Houses have provided integrated services to 1,666 victims of violence and received 26,260 calls through the centers' hotlines.

“The services provided by Sunshine House are designed to meet the individual needs of each person who has experienced violence, promoting respect and non-discrimination. Importantly, the services are provided without judgement or stigma,” said Mr. Matt Jackson, UNFPA Representative in Viet Nam.

In addition, the center will serve as a community education center, helping to change harmful social beliefs and attitudes that lead to violence. To ensure the sustainability and long-term impact of the model, UNFPA is committed to working with the Government of Viet Nam and its partners to replicate the model nationwide to meet the urgent need for services that put survivors of violence at the center.

This will end gender-based violence in a comprehensive and consistent way, ensuring that survivors of violence can access quality, timely support services, regardless of their location or circumstances.”

Evaluating the Sunshine House, Director of the Department of Gender Equality, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Khanh Luong said that since the first Sunshine House was built and deployed in Quang Ninh province in 2020 and now the 5th Sunshine House has been launched...

The Anh Duong House has affirmed the commitments and joint efforts of agencies and organizations to eliminate violence against women and girls in particular and achieve gender equality in general, contributing to the implementation of the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the period 2021 - 2030, the Program on Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence for the period 2021 - 2025 as well as the Law on Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence amended in 2022.

“With its professionalism and outstanding advantages in providing support services for victims of gender-based violence, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs hopes that the Sunshine House model will continue to be replicated nationwide in the coming time,” said Mr. Le Khanh Luong.

The project to promote the replication of models of prevention and response to violence against women and girls in Vietnam for the period 2024 - 2027 has just been launched in Hanoi.

The project is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) with US$5.5 million in technical and financial support from UNFPA to support the Government of Vietnam in addressing gender-based violence against women and girls, especially vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community.

The project aims to promote the replication of the One-Stop Service Center (OSSC) model, also known as the Sunshine House, in localities across Vietnam and support emergency relief and post-disaster recovery for the Sunshine House in Quang Ninh province.

UNFPA Vietnam will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, relevant ministries and sectors as well as local authorities of the three provinces of Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh and Khanh Hoa to complete the project by the end of 2027.

During the 2017-2021 period, KOICA and UNFPA successfully implemented the One-Stop Service Center (OSSC) model in Quang Ninh province. This is the first center in Vietnam to provide comprehensive services to support people who have suffered from gender-based violence, including psychological, legal and medical counseling.

In 2022, KOICA will continue to fund the first phase of the project to ensure the sustainable operation of the Sunshine House in Quang Ninh. The first Sunshine House has quickly laid the foundation for further replication of the One-Stop Service Center model in localities across the country.

Chau Anh - Nguyen Siu

Labor and Social Affairs Newspaper No. 7

Source: https://dansinh.dantri.com.vn/nhan-luc/ben-do-binh-yen-cho-cac-nan-nhan-bao-luc-gioi-20250116105000340.htm