PH Consulate General in Chongqing strengthens capacity for psychological first aid in VAW cases

Chongqing, 11 December 2023 – In observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, the Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing organized a two-day training for its personnel on 8-9 December 2023 to deepen their capacity to handle cases of violence against women.

With the theme “Empowering Change, Uniting Against Violence on Women,” the training activities included a lecture on Trauma Informed Care for Victim-Survivors of Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence by Ms. Mary Grace Z. Blando, Social Welfare Officer IV of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

In her presentation, Ms. Blando introduced the basic dynamics present in the Battered Women Syndrome (BWS) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as well as the basic principles of Trauma Informed Care (TIC).  The lecture offered guidance on how the Consulate’s personnel may better provide psychological first aid to VAW victims.  

Held back-to-back with the lecture, a screening of winning entries from the Philippine Commission on Women’s Cine Juana Digital Shorts Competition, occasioned a sharing of lived experiences and a candid exchange of views on various forms of abuse and trauma.  

“Informed care for VAW victims is a game changer for the delivery of the Consulate’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) services.  We close this year’s anti-VAW training better armed for potential VAW cases with deeper empathy for Filipino women struggling to end the vicious cycle of domestic violence,” Consul General Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo said in her closing remarks.  END