… HELDi holds trauma healing, skills sessions for survivors
By Mercy Wai-Ogosu
A Civil Society Organization in Rivers State, Healthy Life Development Initiative (HELDi), has raised hope among women with the recent introduction of trauma healing for survivors of abusive relationships.
At the HELDi, second Trauma Healing Circle for Survivors, and Empowerment Support held at Ogale Civic Centre, Eleme, Dr. Mfon Utin, Coordinator of HELDi reassured survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Eleme of the need to help restore their dignity, rebuild their strength, and support their healing journey.
She said women do not need to wallow in self-pity or remain in an abusive and violent relationship, which, will in the long run impact negatively on their minds, body and emotions but should instead, seek a support space.
Dr. Utin explained that the support space, is not for blame games but, a place for encouragement. Noting that every survivor deserves care, attention, respect, love and, empathy.
“You have the right to be safe from harm and abuse. Say “no” and be heard; Access care, support, and justice and be treated with dignity,“ she told the participants.
Dr. Utin stated that in sharing their stories, which should be to trusted persons and spaces, survivors will learn coping strategies, having at the back of their minds the fact that healing takes time and that every step forward matters.
She promised to provide an empowerment support through practical skills that could serve as starter pack to small scale business, reminding that, “When a woman is financially empowered, she is able to meet up her needs, make positive decisions and protect her well-being”.
A trauma expert, Sr. Bibiana Dura in her presentation, told the women that healing from trauma is a journey and not a destination and it requires patience, compassion, noting that the emotions of fear, anger, sadness and confusion they experience are not out of place, but stressed the need for courage.
She said, “Healing after trauma is not a straight path but a journey of rediscovery, resilience and relearning one’s sense of self.”
Dura described trauma as a deeply distressing or destroying experience that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope adding, “By understanding trauma, embracing emotions and reclaiming identity, survivors can move forward with strength and hope”.
Sr. Bibiana said her congregation is open to offer continued psychosocial support the Sexual/Gender based Violence, SGBV survivors every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
The HELDi coordinator urged participants to be kind to one another and listen attentively as victims tell their stories, advising them to show empathy and create a space of trust and compassion for the trauma persons.
The session witnessed an unburdening for the women as they narrated their experiences of physical and psychological relationship abuses that were very emotional while also exposing the vulnerability of women without economic power further constrained by a patriarchal culture that robs women of the power to have a voice.
The women’s stories revealed deep abuses in the homes, including forceful intimate relationships without consent, rights denials and even punishing of spouses by partners refusing to take care of the needs of the children.
One of the women narrated how the husband did not only beat and strip her naked down to her panties outside; he also threw her out of the family and seized her personal belongings, including properties they co-owned. She had been out in the cold for two months at the time of the retreat.
In another instance, to economically cripple his over 60 year old wife, the husband confiscated her bicycle, the main power of her farming business. There were stories of injuries, rape, acts that truly disempower and disillusion women.
HELDi however, assured the survivors that they are not to blame and so should not be discouraged but look forward to standing up again.
She encouraged them to enroll with state health insurance scheme, RIVCHIPP adding, that if a survivor is taken to the health facility, she should be treated there after enrolling with the Scheme on the services as informed by the executive secretary of RIVCHIPP, Dr. Vetty Agala.
Dr. Utin urged women to be their sisters’ keepers, by reporting abuse cases to the appropriate quarters, explaining that HELDi works in collaboration/conjunction with agencies like the police/other security organizations, health workers, and civil society groups to ensure that the perpetrators of violence against women and girls are made to face the law.
In line with her earlier empowerment promise, HELDi rounded off the day’s activities with a practical skills acquisition session on hair bands and packers making. An exercise the women can use to occupy their time, make some money and escape from falling into trauma.
The non-governmental organization not only provides a shoulder for traumatized women to fall on (providing space for support), but also empowers them through skills acquisition.
HELDi has SGBV Response teams in the communities to support survivors and for reporting abuse cases. The organization has also trained women leaders in all the communities for further psychosocial support within the safe spaces in their communities which will be communicated to them in addition to the presence of two women leaders in their midst for networking, connections, and further engagements.
