'Seodaemun Avengers' Rise to Support Families Experiencing Domestic Violence

Seodaemun-gu Holds Public-Private-Police Study Meeting to Understand Domestic Violence and Prevent Recurrence

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) operates a learning group called the so-called ‘Seovengers Gahwamansasung,’ a public-private-police study group, to understand domestic violence and prevent its recurrence.

This group includes the Abuse Prevention Officer (APO) from Seodaemun Police Station, legal home doctors from the Ministry of Justice, integrated case managers and counselors working at the ‘Seodaemun-gu Crisis Family Integrated Support Center’ within the district office.

Additionally, about 40 people participate in the group, including representatives from domestic violence counseling centers, Seodaemun-gu Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center, and Seodaemun-gu Mental Health Welfare Center who cooperate with them.

Since October 2018, the district has been operating the ‘Crisis Family Integrated Support Center’ together with Seodaemun Police Station, the first of its kind in Korea, to discover and counsel crisis families suffering from violence, abuse, and neglect, provide systematic welfare support and safety nets, and prevent recurrence.

This learning group was organized to more smoothly promote ▲ counseling support by public-private-police center officials ▲ legal and institutional support and linkage for domestic violence victims ▲ discovery and resolution of domestic violence households in welfare blind spots, amid increasing domestic violence reports due to more time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting from the 27th of last month and continuing through October, four sessions will be held in the Seodaemun-gu Office meeting room, focusing on topics such as changing perceptions of domestic violence, counseling practice strategies, domestic violence-related laws, and measures to prevent recurrence.

Lawyers and counselors from the Korea Domestic Violence Counseling Center serve as instructors, and the sessions include lectures, viewing of informational videos, and discussions.

Shin Nam-sook, an integrated case manager from the Welfare Policy Division of Seodaemun-gu Office who attended the first session, said, “It was an opportunity to firmly establish the awareness that domestic violence is no longer a private family matter but a crime that must be reported unconditionally.”

Im Yi-eun, a counselor at the Crisis Family Integrated Support Center, said, “I was able to vividly recognize the pain and severity of domestic violence victims’ suffering, and I learned more about useful affiliated institutions and resources, which will be very helpful when counseling.”

Seodaemun-gu plans to conduct domestic violence prevention campaigns at various events together with cooperating organizations participating in this learning group.

Moon Seok-jin, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, stated, “I hope this learning group will maximize the synergy effect of public-private-police cooperation for supporting domestic violence households through not only acquiring professional information but also enhancing mutual bonds.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.