OSCE provides training on psychological support to survivors of domestic violence

From 25 to 29 September, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in Dushanbe (the Office) organized a five-day training course for psychologists from the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres and local authorities. The event brought together 23 female psychologists from the Sughd, Khatlon, Rasht Valley regions, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. 

Participants learned about strategies for coping with traumatic stress, sources of stress; emotional depression; adolescent suicidal and self-destructive behaviour, and a projective test to identify suicidal ideation. Other main topics covered at the event included clinical assessment and screening; the use of psychological tests to determine the psychological characteristics of adolescents; "crisis" situations in adolescence and communication skills.

“I received a lot of needed information, especially communication with parents and the behaviour of adolescents during stress and age-related crises. I was particularly interested in the topic of preventing teenage suicide and its causes. Prevention of teenage suicide is a problem in our modern society and a global concern. We must take this seriously and carefully prevent it,” said Farzona Jafarzoda, Head of the Department of Women and Family Affairs of the State Executive Body of Jaloliddin Balkhi district, Khatlon region. 

The training courses are implemented within the OSCE’s Women’s Resource Centres project funded by the United States of America, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Andorra. The training is part of the Office’s ongoing support to the Government of Tajikistan and civil society organizations in preventing and combatting domestic violence including by improving professional support services to survivors.