New Arabic helpline for abuse victims in Bahrain

A group which supports female victims of abuse in Bahrain will launch its advocacy programme in Arabic today, making it the first of its kind in the world.

More than 50 Arabic speakers who trained to be part of a team of crisis advocates of the Women’s Crisis Care International (WCCI) will receive calls on the telephone helpline 66710901.

“We are very happy and proud to launch the first Arabic language full-scale women’s domestic and sexual violence crisis advocacy programme in the world,” WCCI founder Mary-Justin Todd told the GDN.

“We are lucky to be working in a country with such values that support women empowerment.

“Bahrain is one of the first countries in the region and in the Arab world to outlaw and criminalise domestic violence, indicating the compassionate and progressive stance Bahrain takes in support of women.

“The programme will include talk-support on the telephone helpline, immediate in-person support at the WCCI office, at American Mission Hospital, WCCI’s official partner, and/or accompaniment to the police station or clinics, as requested by the client.”

WCCI has been operating a full-scale English advocacy programme since January 2016, with a telephone helpline (38447588) operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Arabic programme, in its beginning phase, will operate from 6am to 6pm Sunday to Wednesday, and 24 hours from Thursday to Saturday.

The GDN reported last month that 70 more women were certified as crisis care advocates in a four-day training programme, making the number of certified advocates more than 100, who are trained in offering support to women facing sexual or domestic violence.

The WCCI’s office is located on the third floor of the Harbour Gate, Bahrain Financial Harbour and is open from Sunday to Thursday 11am to 4pm.