Remove violence from the home.

(Baonghean) - Ms. HT H (born in 1995) from Hamlet 8, Son Hai Commune (Quynh Luu District) got married at the age of 17. Being illiterate and having limited awareness and life experience, Ms. H faced many difficulties when starting a family.

Faced with constant gossip and conflict with her husband's family, she inevitably acted tactlessly, sometimes uttering insulting words. Her husband, being at sea, didn't fully understand the complexities of mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflicts and didn't know how to balance the relationship between his mother and his wife. Conflicts arose, and Ms. H was frequently beaten and abused by her mother-in-law and husband. She had to go to the hospital and seek legal assistance many times. Currently, her husband has left home to work illegally in China for over five months without any news. Her husband's family has distanced themselves from her, and she is unemployed with a young daughter under one year old, making life very difficult. "Thanks to legal intervention, my husband's family has stopped abusing me. Now I just hope my husband will return to reunite with me, to take responsibility for me and our child, and to resolve the household issues and debts…," Ms. H shared.

A club meeting on "Preventing and mitigating the harm of gender-based violence" in Son Hai commune.

According to investigations and surveys conducted by the People's Committee of Son Hai commune, in some surveyed hamlets, 20-30%, and even up to 50%, of the women surveyed reported having experienced physical abuse, psychological violence, and sexual violence. Given the increasing rate of domestic violence in the district in general and Son Hai commune in particular, under the direction and guidance of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Office of Quynh Luu district selected Son Hai commune to implement the model of "Preventing and Minimizing the Harm of Gender-Based Violence" starting in September 2013. To ensure the model's effectiveness, the local authorities established a Steering Committee of 15 members representing various departments, agencies, and mass organizations of the commune.

Currently, the commune has 13 hamlets, and each hamlet has established a "Club for Preventing and Reducing the Harm of Gender-Based Violence" and a "Family Violence Prevention" group. Through these clubs, members better understand and appreciate the value of building happy families and avoiding violence. Elderly people play a role in educating and guiding their children and grandchildren to live harmoniously, fostering relationships between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, siblings, and relatives. In addition, each hamlet has established "trusted addresses" and "temporary shelters," announced on the commune's radio station, and ready to receive and assist victims of violence in emergency situations. They also provide counseling and support to help victims access violence prevention services, medical services, entertainment, and other social welfare services to quickly recover their health and psychological well-being.

Mr. Hoang Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Son Hai commune, said: "Thanks to the effective activities of the clubs, there has been a positive impact on people's awareness; domestic violence has significantly decreased. In particular, the activities of the clubs and groups play a very important role because family matters are very sensitive and 'difficult to talk about,' but thanks to the clubs and groups, information has been accessed and gathered promptly, so the work of preventing and minimizing the harm of domestic violence has been implemented quite effectively."

After nearly two years of implementing the model, Son Hai commune has organized 20 training and awareness sessions on gender equality and preventing gender-based domestic violence, with over 2,000 participants. Many parents have changed their perceptions and treatment of sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law within the family. Men have also changed their behavior towards their wives and children, becoming more responsible in sharing household chores, educating children, and practicing contraception and family planning.

To date, Son Hai commune has significantly reduced the practice of sex selection of fetuses, forced child marriage, and children dropping out of school too early to work at sea. In particular, families and women are more vigilant against the temptations of criminals, avoiding falling into human trafficking rings. Officials and residents have a clearer understanding of the importance of educating on moral values ​​and lifestyles within the family; family conflicts and gender-based violence have decreased significantly compared to previous years, and the percentage of culturally exemplary families in the village and commune has increased.

Thanh Nhan

(Quynh Luu Radio Station)