One of the programs managed by the Isadora Duncan Foundation is called the “Comprehensive Support Point for Immigrant Women” which offers a support service based on information, guidance, counseling, and accompaniment to immigrant women who are victims or potential victims of gender-based violence, as well as their children. Group work, facilitated by the support groups for immigrant women, is one of the program’s pillars. The goal is to promote actions aimed at strengthening women’s autonomy and empowerment. Group work includes activities to detect gender-based violence.
“Weaving Networks to Grow Together”.Support Groups for Immigrant Women
The support groups are proposed as a periodic activity based on the creation of specific spaces for reflection, care, and trust. The objective is for women to feel comfortable sharing the difficult aspects of their lives and thus be able to handle them in a healthy way.
Since April, three meetings have been held with the participation of 13 people. In the first session, in addition to a brief introduction of all participants, expectations regarding the activity were shared to guide future sessions toward topics of interest.
The main topic in all the sessions has been migratory grief, as it is a process that every migrant goes through and affects the development of their lives. The lack or absence of a support network in the country of residence has been another major issue addressed. We have found that this is a factor that hinders the full inclusion of women in their environment. Other topics have included the lack of economic resources and the difficulties they encounter in balancing family and work life.
Gender-based violence, specifically psychological violence, was the main topic of the last session held in June. It was a complex session, aimed at detecting and preventing potential cases of gender-based violence among the participants.
Prevention and Protection
The primary objective of the support groups is the prevention and protection of immigrant women who are victims or potential victims of gender-based violence. These are spaces that have allowed participants to bring up issues that concern them. It has also encouraged them to share experiences with other women who have gone through or are going through similar situations. This way, they can discover different perspectives, seek, and share joint options and/or solutions.
The success of the support groups (as evidenced by the evaluations conducted by the participants) serves as a motivation to replicate them. The Comprehensive Support Point for Immigrant Women program and its support groups will conduct other editions throughout the year to address the topics they choose themselves.
