Five women chair the table at the 1st meeting of women mentors in Sant Feliu de Llobregat
Anastasia, Mon, Isabel, Maria and Julia are the five women who lead the 1st meeting of women mentors in Sant Feliu de Llobregat. All of them are victims of structural male violence and have decided to become mentors for other women who have experienced similar situations. This initiative, promoted by Lores López, a lawyer specializing in male violence and equality, has as its main objective the support and empowerment of women.
The Social Mentoring program with a gender perspective: Women Mentors
The Social Mentoring program with a gender perspective: Women Mentors was created in 2017 by Lores López. This program aims to create networks of mentors and incorporate them into social action. From 2021, the program operates at the Women’s Information and Care Service (SIAD) in Sant Feliu de Llobregat. The aim is to provide support and accompaniment to women who have suffered male violence, through mentoring.
The importance of mentoring in women’s recovery
The women mentors are accompanied by four institutions that make the project possible: Loren Rider, Councilor of the Sant Feliu Town Council; Maria Jesús RodrÃguez, director of the Specialized Intervention Service (SIE) of Baix Llobregat; Guillem Espriu, coordinator of social policies of the AMB; and Maria Arós Ayala, Coordinator of Social Mentoring. All of them emphasize the importance of this program in the recovery of women and in the construction of support networks.
The metaphor of mentoring as recovery
Lores López uses a metaphor to explain the importance of mentoring in the recovery of women victims of male violence. According to her, mentoring is like a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer. Women’s direct care services are like chemotherapy, while mentoring is like immunotherapy, working to strengthen women’s empowerment.
The role of women mentors
Women mentors play a fundamental role in accompanying women who have suffered gender-based violence. Through their experience and knowledge, they offer emotional support and guidance to women in their recovery process. Women mentors are aware of the importance of sorority and work to build an intergenerational support network.
The importance of caring for mentors
The Women Mentors project also emphasizes the importance of caring for female mentors. Women mentors can experience emotions and feelings when listening to the stories of women who have experienced gender-based violence. That is why it is essential to provide them with support and spaces for reflection for their own recovery.
The importance of the participation of all women
Lores López emphasizes that all women can be mentors and that male violence is a structural problem that affects all women. It is important that women are aware of male violence, understand feminism and want to act with sorority. Through mentoring, a network of support and mutual learning can be built.
The importance of mentoring as a source of information
Women mentors play a key role in gathering information about situations of gender-based violence that may not be detected by direct care services. Through their experience and knowledge, mentors can identify situations of risk and provide information that can be crucial for intervention and protection of women.
Join the Mentoring Women project
If you want to join the Mentoring Women project, you can contact the organization and get more information on how to participate as a mentor. This project is an opportunity for women who want to help other women and contribute to the construction of a more equal society free of male violence.
