Crisis center for survivors of violence opens in Gori
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In cooperation with UN Women and with the financial support of the Government of Sweden, the State Fund for Protection and Assistance of Victims of Human Trafficking (State Fund) opened a third crisis center for survivors of violence against women.
The first crisis center opened in Tbilisi in 2016 and has provided support to 145 victims of violence so far. A second center opened in Kutaisi in December 2018. From now on, a crisis center will also be functioning in Gori and will provide psychological and social assistance and rehabilitation, medical and legal services to survivors.
UN Women has been cooperating with the State Fund since 2010. Within the framework of this cooperation, four shelters, three crisis centers and the 24/7 toll-free nationwide hotline 116 006 are now operating in the country.
“One additional crisis center has been established aimed at helping women to break the cycle of violence and supporting their empowerment,” noted Tamar Barkalaia, Deputy Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia (MoLHSA).
The State Fund is the agency under the MoLHSA responsible for service provision to vulnerable groups of beneficiaries, including survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence and human trafficking.
UN Women, in partnership with the Government of Sweden and the European Union Delegation to Georgia, plans to further support the State Fund in the expansion of its network of state-funded crisis centers. Four additional crisis centers in the regions of Adjara, Guria, Kvemo Kartli and Shida Kartli will be opened.