Women In Need, Sri Lanka: Protector of women and girls

WIN awareness raising stickers campaign Anuradhapura

Established in 1988, Women In Need (better known as WIN) is a recognised, non-governmental organisation trusted nationally and internationally in its role in protecting victims of domestic and all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in Sri Lanka. 

Over the years WIN has grown from an informal group of women fighting for a cause, to an organisation of international repute, providing a multitude of services for the protection of women and girls, advocating for their rights and being a voice for the voiceless. Thousands of women are assisted by WIN through intervention and support services offered by WIN.

Violence Against Women (VAW)

Violence Against Women is defined as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”, is a form of gender-based violence and includes sexual violence.”

This form of violence often results from unequal power relations created between women and men, based on the norm that men are in fact a superior gender to women, thereby normalising unequal treatment, discrimination and violence against the ‘weaker sex’. These notions are perpetuated via culture, religions and man-made beliefs and practices which promote the subordination of women. There are types of VAW:

Physical violence: includes slapping, shoving, punching, beating, scratching, choking, biting, shaking, burning, twisting of a body part, forcing of an unwanted substance and any physical acts which cause pain and injury. Restraining a woman from receiving medical treatment or helping to cause physical hurt on a woman.

Sexual violence: A sexual act forced upon a woman without freely given consent, which can also include, unwanted comments or advances directed against a person’s sexuality, using coercion, by any person regardless of the relationship to the victim. This includes rape or other forms of sexual assault, unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment, forced exposure or pornography, virginity testing, female genital mutilation.

Psychological violence: Infliction of mental or emotional pain or injury to maintain perpetrator’s dominance, which may include: Verbal abuse, name-calling or insults; mocking, threats and intimidation of violence towards victim or someone dear to her as well as exclusion, isolation, humiliation etc

Economic violence: Perpetrators control survivors by controlling their access to resources: transportation, food, clothing, shelter, insurance, and money.

What WIN does

Women In Need primarily focuses on the safety and wellbeing of the survivors of SGBV by providing intervention support services. WIN provides psychological counselling, legal advice and court representation, emergency shelters, and a 24/7 caller helpline. 

The 2six4 mobile application is the latest intervention mechanism offered by WIN, with the support of the Women’s and Children’s Bureau of the Police, as WIN’s prime concern is the health and wellbeing of the survivor and her ability to exercise her human rights to live in dignity, free from violence or torture Through the services provided, WIN aims to protect, counsel, rebuild and educate survivors, and women, as well as the community at large. 

WIN works closely with a number of stakeholders and service providers to strengthen existing state machinery to ensure victims of violence are given better care and protection while also creating sensitivity and widespread awareness on the issue among the people with the objective of creating a society free of Gender-Based Violence –i.e. a society of mutual respect for both men and women.

WIN is supported by a team of qualified, dedicated and experienced counsellors, lawyers, social workers and shelter matrons. WIN includes the perpetrator and even their families in counselling if required and requested by the victim. The counselling services provided include family counselling, pre-marital counselling, trauma counseling and therapy. 

WIN’s Legal Team provides legal advice and represents its clients in court – primarily to obtain an Order of Protection against the perpetrator under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 2005. It also represents its client in actions for maintenance and other such related matters, ensuring the rights of women and girls are protected and upheld. 

Women In Need is the only organisation in Sri Lanka which has emergency shelters dedicated exclusively for safeguarding women and children whose lives are at immediate risk as a result of domestic violence or any other form of gender-based violence. These safe houses for victims of violence, located in Colombo, Matara and the latest shelter in Batticaloa, are run in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. 

Victims are provided with a safe and comfortable stay with regular counselling and a lot of care. The locations of these shelters are kept anonymous, for the protection of WIN clients and their dependents. Victims who are given protection in these shelters are given space, time and much-needed care to overcome their violent experiences.

With the number of clients rising each year, coupled with the increasing cost of living – maintaining these shelters has posed a challenge to WIN. However, with the assistance of its funders WIN hopes to be better equipped and be able to provide more such shelters in other parts of the island, as it has seen the importance of the provision of this service. 

Domestic Violence Support Group Project 

Recognising that the empowerment of women is an essential step to rebuild the lives of victims of violence, WIN initiated the Domestic Violence Support Group Project. Through these Support Groups WIN empowers groups of 15 women giving them the motivation to redefine gender roles, allowing them to break through stereotypes, enabling them to create a free and secure future for themselves. 

They learn topics such as entrepreneurship, time management, leadership skills, business ideas, self-discipline and self-worth, capacity and personality building – to name a few. Through this project WIN has commenced WIN FOR HER, a social enterprise carried out by survivors of violence. Used and discarded papers are recycled and transformed into reusable value-added products, which are marketed locally and internationally.

WIN through crisis centres carries out awareness and sensitisation programmes for a multitude of stakeholders such as law enforcement officers, medical officers, nurses and medical students, community leaders and village heads and private sector organisations.

Cyber violence and exploitation 

Cyber violence and exploitation is one such area which has had an unexpected impact on women and girls in the country, with no appropriate or adequate legal measures to address the issue. WIN has been working with the Sri Lanka Police as well as other service providers and organisations to advocate for a more responsive and responsible system to address these issues.

WIN has contributed extensively to research and analysis on Domestic Violence in Sri Lanka. The most recent of its research culminated in the publication ‘Voices of Survivors,’ consisting of 796 documented cases of survivors of domestic violence. 

WIN has also published a number of handbooks on the issue of Domestic Violence and how it should be addressed. WIN is currently conducting island-wide research on cyber violence which will help it further the case for a new legal framework and action plan to address cyber violence in Sri Lanka.WIN having earned a reputation of respect and commitment, has been invited to assist the state in the drafting of laws, action plans and frameworks concerning women on numerous occasions. WIN periodically meets the lawmakers of Sri Lanka urging for better laws and better implementation of these laws for the protection of women and children, providing them with the necessary statistics. 

Safeguarding and protecting the rights of women and girls must be prioritised. Access to justice and other services must be widespread. The message of non-violence must be carried through to all levels of society. WIN needs your support to fight stronger.