Roundtable held to discuss new regional service for victims of sexual violence

On 25 April 2024, UN Women held a roundtable to discuss Moldova’s first Regional Integrated Service for Victims of Sexual Violence, presenting results from its first six months of operation. The event brought together representatives of local and central public authorities, members of multidisciplinary teams, civil society and the international community, demonstrating the importance of a coordinated and multisectoral response to violence.

Victims of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, face numerous challenges in Moldova, from fear of stigma to a lack of specialized services and other barriers to accessing justice. A 2018 survey by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe found that nearly 40 per cent of women in Moldova have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.

To eliminate these barriers, UN Women partnered with local public authorities and civil society to open Moldova’s first Regional Integrated Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in March 2023. Funded by the European Union, the service is being piloted in northwestern Moldova, covering the districts of Ungheni, Fălești, Sîngerei, Călărași, Nisporeni and Telenești. It provides victims with access to specialized medical assistance, forensic expertise, psychosocial and legal support, and psychological assessment services all in one location.

During the roundtable event, Dionisie Ternovschi, the Deputy Mayor of Ungheni district, emphasized the importance of this service. “The launch of the first Regional Integrated Service in the country, serving five districts, is a significant achievement,” he said. “This center helps us greatly in supporting victims of sexual violence. I want to thank our development partners for their support and for helping us change attitudes towards sexual violence for the better."

Likewise, Denis Carnovschi, the Vice Mayor of Ungheni municipality, stressed how committed the local public authorities are in preventing and combating violence. "We are pleased that the municipality of Ungheni is the city where this innovative model of integrated services was launched,” he said.

Viorica Țîmbalari, the Director General of the National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, emphasized the importance of specialized services for victims of sexual violence and expressed gratitude to all partners involved in creating this service. "The number one priority of the Agency is conducting a national awareness campaign on violence against women and domestic violence,” she said. “At the same time, we support the expansion of the integrated service model to other localities in the country, as we believe they can more effectively address cases of sexual violence."

Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, said that this service, the first of its kind in the region, was made possible thanks to joint efforts. “Gender-based violence is unfortunately widespread both in Moldova and in other countries,” he said. “This phenomenon undermines social well-being, and eliminating any form of gender-based violence is a priority for the European Union. We are also pleased to see that through one of our projects, we are taking significant steps in this direction. The creation of this service is a cornerstone and confirmation of our common commitment."

Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, expressed her appreciation for the efforts made in creating this service and emphasized its importance in addressing sexual violence. "I am proud and glad that the GREVIO committee report, which monitors the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, recognizes that this integrated service model is very good, designed to respond to cases of sexual violence by providing immediate protection and gathering necessary evidence,” she said. “Thanks to the whole team and partners who, together with us, made this center exist. The numbers speak for themselves about the need for this service."

During the first six months of operation, the service provided assistance to 23 victims, 17 of whom were from Ungheni district. The assisted cases included 13 cases of rape, one case of sexual assault, one case of online sexual violence, and eight cases of other forms of violence. In 47 per cent of cases, women received crisis assistance within the first four days of the crime being committed.

Elena Botezatu, the Executive Director of the Moldova office of La Strada International, highlighted the innovative nature of this service and the fact that it takes a survivor-centered approach. "The Regional Integrated Service represents a learning opportunity and a challenging experience, as we tried to provide assistance to female survivors of sexual violence in a completely new way,” she said. “Created here in Moldova, it is a unique service that brings together medical, psychological, legal and police assistants to provide specialized support and ensure that survivors' needs are met in one place, avoiding re-traumatization and reducing waiting time."

During the event, UN Women Moldova and La Strada International signed a new agreement ensuring the continuation of the Regional Integrated Service through the new project “EVOLVE4GE: Ending Violence, Expanding Livelihood Opportunities for Women and Accelerating Gender Governance in Moldova,” launched by UN Women and funded by the European Union.