With Your Help, Victims of Violence Can Heal

Violence against women and children in Argentina is an ongoing epidemic. According to recent statistics, one woman is killed every 32 hours.  Meanwhile, 73% of Argentinian children between ages 2 and 4 have suffered physical and psychological violence, and thousands more are sexually assaulted or are victims of human trafficking every year.

But there’s hope. The Salvation Army’s “United Towards a Change” program, in Buenos Aires, provides group therapy sessions for women who have experienced abuse. This program is led by an experienced psychologist, pediatrician, social worker and Salvation Army pastor.

“Here, women find support and a place where they are heard—something they usually cannot find anywhere else,” says Lorely Bono, who helps facilitate the program. “The women are able to regain independence by attending entrepreneurship and training workshops, work on their self-esteem, and eventually appreciate themselves.”

Another part of the program, Learning through Playing, supports child victims of abuse by offering them a safe space for sports, recreational activities and tutoring services so they can learn new ways of managing conflict in their lives.

“We are helping these children break the circle of violence and not repeat it. We cannot make them immune to ‘pain and destruction,’ but we can make them stronger and equip them with tools to face their realities and change the course of their lives,” says Claudia Franchetti, Projects & Sponsorship Officer for The Salvation Army South America East Territory.

Your generosity means that more women and children who are victims of violence in Argentina have a new future filled with peace and hope.