Mental health service users take action against gender-based violence on 25 November

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Women's Groups of the Subacute Unit and the Specialised Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Department (SERPI) at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu have organised an artistic creation and awareness-raising project to express their rejection of all forms of gender-based violence.

In conjunction with Torrents d'Art, the Parc's Arts in Health programme, fifteen participants have drawn up slogans and texts based on their experiences and their work with the professional team which were read out during the commemorative event held today at the Sant Boi site along with other excerpts from books by writers such as Simone de Beauvoir:

“For years I gave myself completely, and now I no longer know who I am. I no longer recognise my body, my soul, my life. I have lived for others so that they could feel complete, and now I am empty. I don't know if I will ever be able to be myself again." (The Woman Destroyed)

Some of these messages were also printed on T-shirts worn during the event, which was envisaged as a space for collective reflection in which the readings became a group manifesto that allowed women to demand a life free from violence.

“This initiative seeks to raise awareness among the public while also showcasing the role of art as a therapeutic tool which can heal wounds, strengthen bonds and promote relationships based on respect and equality," said Montse Toribio, an occupational therapist and member of the Torrents d'Art team.

Women's groups: therapeutic spaces mainstreaming gender and intersectionality

Therapeutic groups for women with mental health problems have become established as an innovative strategy which integrates the gender perspective and intersectionality. These spaces offer a safe environment where participants can share experiences, discuss together and enhance their emotional wellbeing.

The main goal is to create a group space that allows for the expression of discomfort through empowerment, sisterhood and mutual support, fostering self-esteem and the holistic health of the women attended to. They also help participants express painful experiences, understand emotional discomfort and learn about therapeutic resources to improve mental health.

The Subacute and SERPI groups have between 10 and 15 women each along with a multidisciplinary professional team made up of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, nursing assistants and specialists in gender-based violence. Both groups take a transdiagnostic psychotherapeutic approach and combine visual support materials with planned sessions and others exploring topics raised by the participants themselves.

The sessions have addressed key issues such as the gender perspective, social stereotypes, norms shaping female identity and gender-based violence while also examining the social, cultural and ethnic determinants which perpetuate these inequalities.

In addition to the Subacute and SERPI groups, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu also has women's groups in all the Mental Health Network's Community Rehabilitation Services (SRC) plus a cross-cutting programme called 'Women, now it's your turn' which runs a range of activities throughout the year. It is an intimate group empowerment space for women which enhances experiences, builds capacity and furnishes tools to manage personal and relational conflicts and encourages autonomy.  It also works on social support and engagement to prevent social isolation.

The programme additionally includes specific theoretical training with a gender perspective for professionals in the institution's community rehabilitation services and to raise awareness among Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu volunteers.

Purple Points: venues for care, support and prevention

Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu has several 'Purple Points', mainly in all nursing stations, at the entrances to the units and at the information points.

Their purpose is to provide information, advice and support to prevent, identify and deal with situations of gender-based violence within the institution.

“Let's open our eyes to gender-based violence. Take a stand”

The WHO says one in three women experiences some form of gender-based violence and every 11 minutes a woman or girl is killed by a family member. In Catalonia, over 2,000 reports of sexual violence have been filed so far this year.

Gender-based violence is part and parcel of our daily lives and often flies under the radar due to discomfort, fear or ignorance. So to mark 25 November, the Government is running the campaign “Let's open our eyes to gender-based violence. Take a stand" to challenge society and encourage it to act.