Peru: Preventing Violence Against Women

The radio journalist participants recorded women who had experienced physical or emotional violence and men who had inflicted such violence. “This workshop was part of GTZ’s supranational project ‘Convomujer – Combating Violence Against Women in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay’,” says DW-AKADEMIE project manager, Vera Möller-Holtkamp. Education, prevention and solidarity are the main project goals. The radio reports resulting from this particular workshop are also aimed at encouraging afflicted women to seek help.

Journalists from community radio stations belonging to the Peruvian umbrella organization Coordinadora Nacional de Radio (CNR) came from various regions to attend the workshop held in the capital, Lima. With support from DW-AKADEMIE trainer Hans-Günter Kellner and a local CNR trainer, the participants produced reports, interviews and short information announcements. These are to be aired locally and also offered free of charge on CNR’s website to radio stations which did not take part in the workshop.

The participants researched potential social and cultural reasons for the violence. They talked with psychologists, social workers and women affected by it, choosing new angles to report on the issue. The results included a report about a once-violent man who underwent therapy and now heads a men’s self-help group. “It would be good if the media included more background reports on this issue in their long-term program planning,” says DW-AKADEMIE trainer, Elena Ern. She conducted the first part of this joint cooperation held in October 2010.