The Hague - On International Women's Day, The International Organisation for Migration Netherlands and Dokters van de Wereld are launching the animated video 'You are not alone!', as part of the SAMEN project. The video highlights the ongoing problem of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and shows survivors that help is always available.
SAMEN
The SAMEN project, an initiative of IOM Netherlands and Doctors of the World, has been active since 2022 in six Dutch cities: Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague, Nijmegen, Rotterdam and Utrecht. The project aims to make sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) a topic of discussion within migrant communities in the Netherlands and to guide them to appropriate care.
SAMEN does so by:
- Increasing the capacity of the healthcare and welfare sector;
- Providing migrants with psychosocial support through trained key figures and medical professionals;
- Optimizing information exchange within organizations around the target group;
- Developing information materials, including the animated video 'You are not alone!'.
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Sexual and gender-based violence is the overarching term for harmful acts based on someone's sex or gender. Migrants are at increased risk of experiencing SGBV before, during, or after their journey. The figures underline the urgency of this problem:
- 63 to 80% of women and 25 to 56% of men with a refugee background experience sexual violence.
- For women and the LGBTI+ community, violence is the main reason for leaving their country of origin.
- In detention centres, women, transgender and non-binary people are more likely to experience systemic violence.
You are not alone!
In the Netherlands, help is available for survivors of SGBV. There are several organizations where people can go for help or shelter. The animated video 'You are not alone!' is intended to draw attention to this fact and to make survivors aware of the support available.
The animation video was developed in collaboration with key people in the SAMEN project. The video addresses the questions they receive from migrant communities: what are the consequences of SGBV, where can I go, and how can I be sure that my story won't be passed on? The video was released in seven languages (Dutch, French, English, Tigrinya, Somali, Dari and Arabic) to reach the broadest possible audience. It was produced by the animation studio Barabas.
Contact
Sanne van ’t Hullenaar – IOM Nederland
Dorothée Riepma – Dokters van de wereld
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