Għabex is an emergency shelter which aims to provide an immediate safe environment for female victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence (GBV and DV) and their children who require immediate protection. The shelter programme is based on the belief that women and children have a right to protection from violence and abuse, and that any woman, regardless of socio-economic background, status and age may be subject to abuse. The service offers a setting conducive to self-healing for women and their children who suffer emotional, physical, sexual and any other form of domestic violence.
The women’s stay at the shelter is aimed at a maximum period of three months, after which service users will move on to a second stage shelter or to any alternative accommodation that would have been identified during their stay at Għabex. During these three months, staff at Għabex support women with their daily needs and work with them to draw up an action plan for their future.
The shelter’s aims & objectives include:
- Providing 24-hour crisis intervention to women suffering violence in intimate and family relationships.
- Providing safe refuge to women and children requiring emergency and temporary shelter in a safe environment.
- Providing professional support (including social work intervention, case reviews and other individual work) to women and children leaving abusive relationships so that they may begin to deal with the effects of abuse and work towards making concrete plans.
- Providing a non-judgmental service that respects women’s right to self-determination.
- Empowering women and supporting them in the decisions that they make.
- Increasing women’s and children’s awareness of the dynamics and adverse effects of violence and help them understand that abuse is neither acceptable nor justified.
- Helping women establish links with other community services.
- Joining efforts with other agencies who address family violence to provide a more holistic service and coordinated response to persons suffering abuse.
- Networking closely with other shelters to ensure the best utilisation of services for the maximum benefit of service users.
