The Persefona z. s. organization was created in 2007 when the domestic violence program that had been providing aid to victims of domestic violence since 1999 through the League of Human Rights became its own separate organization.
The main pillar of the organization’s activity is the provision of comprehensive, long-term aid to adult victims of domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse in the South Moravian Region. This support is also aimed at those who do their best to aid the victims of such wrongs. What we mean by a comprehensive, long-term approach is that we accompany victims through the entire process of addressing their life situation. As part of our counseling services we provide both our female and male clients with legal, psychological and social work aid.
In addition to this aid to victims, we are striving to develop a therapy program for violent persons within Brno and the South Moravian Region. We are basing this effort on the experience that it is one-sided just to address domestic violence exclusively through care for victims, which is why we are addressing the issue of domestic and sexual violence comprehensively. We provide counseling and therapeutic support to persons who have difficulties dealing with their own aggression in relationships. This involves preventive measures against the eventual collapse of a family or partner relationships, as well as means to help people make sure their violent behavior does not recur in other relationships.
We provide professional legal and social work counseling to the victims of domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse. To others who are interested in our services even though they are not personally addressing a problem of domestic violence, rape or sexual abuse, we also provide basic counseling.
Persefona is a non-governmental, non-profit, voluntary organization in the sense of Section 214 et. seq. of Act No. 89/2012 Coll., Civil Code, as amended. As such it is, according to Czech law, a legal entity eligible to engage in legal proceedings.
We provide professional social counseling on the basis of our registration with the Regional Authority of the South Moravian Region as per the Act on Social Services No. 108/2006, Coll.
We provide legal information according to our accreditation from the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic per Section 39 paragraph 1 of Act No. 45/2013, Coll., on the victims of criminal acts. You can find more information about us in the Registry of Providers of Aid to Crime Victims (Register poskytovatelů pomoci obětem trestných činů).
Client statistics for Persefona z. s.
During 2014 Persefona provided counseling to a total of 369 persons through 844 in-person consultations, 1 191 telephone consultations and 1 054 e-mail consultations.
During 2013 a total of 326 persons used the services of Persefona through 1 035 in-person consultations, 1 221 telephone consultations and 1 101 e-mail consultations.
In 2012 the organization provided services to a total of 339 persons through 965 consultations in person, 1 167 telephone consultations and 727 e-mail consultations.
In 2011 Persefona worked with a total of 249 clients through a total of 788 in-person consultations, 1 041 telephone consultations and 552 e-mail consultations. Of these, 94 % were women and 6 % were men.
In 2010 the services of our professional social work counseling center were accessed by 200 clients through 984 in-person consultations, 802 telephone consultations and 340 e-mail consultations. Of these, 93 % were women, 7 % were men, 7.5 % were persons living with disabilities and 8.5 % were senior citizens.
In 2009 Persefona provided services to a total of 151 persons through 826 in-person consultations, 974 telephone consultations and 18 e-mail consultations. Of those consulted, 93 % were women, 7 % were men, 13 % were persons living with disabiltiies and 13 % were senior citizens.
In 2008, 110 victims of domestic and sexual violence used our services through 393 in-person consultations. Of these, 98 % were female, 2 % were male, 11 % were persons living with disabiltiies, 9 % were senior citizens. Of those who contacted us for assistance, 88 % were in families with minor children living in the household where the violence was occurring.
In 2007 Persefona provided professional socal work counseling to 106 clients through 464 in-person consultations, 634 telephone consultations and 34 e-mail consultations.
These statistics also include the issue of sexual violence, which has long constituted around 25 % of the violence reported by our clients.