"Hotline" for abused women may close due to lack of funding

Greek telephone service assistance to women victims of violence, is in danger of being suspended due to bureaucratic obstacles, insufficient funding and indifference on the part of the government and ministries. On Wednesday, operators of this service caused a five-hour interruption in service due to this problem.

In conversation with the new site tvxs.gr Stella Palaiologu, spokeswoman for the General Secretariat for Equality and Human Rights, said the 17 contract helpline staff <15900> who help run the 24-hour service haven’t received a salary for three months.

The problem stems from Greece’s failure to absorb funds from the new National Strategic Framework (known in Greece as ESPA), operating under the newly created Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, Palaiologu said, also blaming the Ministry of Labor for failing to take appropriate action.

“The hotline has been extended until the end of the month, but it must be included in the new ESPA. The necessary measures should have been taken so that it can continue to operate without problems. However, until a week ago there was no one in charge who could demand that the process continue. This indicates both a trivial attitude to the problem and poor organization,” – Palaiologu said. She emphasized that the problem was known several months ago.

The failure to transfer appropriate powers from the Ministry of Labor to the new ministry appears to be at the core of the problem. “All the problems are due to the transfer of our service to the Ministry of Labor. The transition to the new ministry was not carried out. According to the plan, it should have taken place by the end of the year. However, this did not happen, and the Ministry of Labor gave a delay by amending the legislation. In short , there was no appropriate planning”– quotes Palaiologu.

The helpline 15900 is for women who are victims of gender-based or domestic violence. It operates throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It employs psychologists and social workers who provide emergency assistance in emergencies and cases of violence.

“12 employees work at the SOS line 15900, 2 at the Gender Equality Observatory and 3 at the Help desk”said the spokeswoman.

“We addressed our problems to the chief secretary, she says that she understands us, but nothing is moving forward. Unfortunately, in general, a completely amateurish approach prevails in the political leadership of the ministry, and this is not a serious situation. When you are a political leader, you “You can’t say, ‘I sympathize with victims of gender-based violence and don’t do the basics.’ We risk being left without a line in a few days,” emphasized Palaiologu.

However, the so-called administrative difficulties of the transition period do not seem to have become an obstacle to the payment of salaries ministers and other officials, she noted.

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