“I married into a family that still believes in patriarchy. I was beaten by my husband since the early years of my marriage. But it was me who his family members blamed for provoking his anger. I suffered silently and convinced myself that it was my fate. Fortunately, the service providers at the One Stop Service Centre have offered me a second life”, says Mai, a retired teacher and a survivor of domestic violence.
We met Mai*, aged 54, at one of the UNFPA-sponsored One Stop Service Centres in Viet Nam. She says she is now independent, knowledgeable and confident about her future. It’s hard to imagine how she could survive over 20 years of domestic violence. But the fear of social stigma and the shame directed towards divorced women and their children was an ever-present deterrent to Mai speaking out. Mai recalls the date when her husband, drunk after visiting his friends, burnt down their house and claimed his right to destroy everything in their home. Overwhelmed with fear, she finally sought support from a friend who advised her to dial the toll-free hotline 18001768 for supporting and protecting women and girls subjected to gender-based violence and domestic violence. She was then instructed to come to the Anh Duong House, a One-Stop Service Centre designed to connect survivors with all essential services, where she learnt a lot about the rights of women and girls; the Law on marriage and family; knowledge about gender-based violence and how she can live a life free from violence. Mai also received legal advice on how to proceed with divorce. Thanks to the support provided by the Anh Duong House and the empowerment she gained, Mai has embarked on a journey towards a brighter and more secure future and is able to support other women in her community who are also suffering from violence.
Mai is very grateful for the whole-hearted support from the service providers at the Anh Duong House. “The Anh Duong House has offered me a second life. I have been treated with respect and dignity. From now on, I will live happily with my children. And I wish that Anh Duong House will provide support to more and more women like me, who are subject to gender-based violence and domestic violence.”
Anh Duong House and the demand for further support to survivors of gender-based violence
Four One Stop Service Centres, commonly known as Anh Duong Houses (Sunshine Houses) were established with technical and financial support from UNFPA in partnership with the Governments of Korea, Japan and Australia to provide essential, comprehensive and integrated services to women and girls who are experiencing and/or at risk of gender-based violence. The Centres provide a wide range of services, meeting international standards including health care, mental and psychosocial support, counselling, social welfare services, emergency shelters, police protection, legal and justice services, and referrals. All services provided at the OSSC are based on the survivor-centred principle in a coordinated manner in which survivors are treated with respect, dignity and are assured of privacy and confidentiality.
Since 2020 when the first Anh Duong House was launched nearly 1,600 survivors of gender-based violence have received support from these four Anh Duong Houses. Their hotlines, together with the 18001768-hotline run by the Viet Nam Farmers’ Union, have received over 3,500 calls concerning gender-based violence.
The Anh Duong Houses are in the provinces of Quảng Ninh and Thanh Hóa, and the cities of Đà Nẵng and Hồ Chí Minh City. UNFPA is planning to support the opening of four more Houses in the country in order to reach as many women and girls as possible.
UNFPA has been supporting the Government of Viet Nam to develop a multi-sectoral coordination mechanism at national and provincial levels, aligning with global standards to ensure we leave no one behind. This will help to comprehensively and consistently address GBV across Viet Nam so that all survivors can access timely and high- quality support services regardless of their location or situation.
The findings of the UNFPA-supported National Study on Violence against Women in Vietnam in 2019 showed that nearly 2 in 3 women (62.9%) experienced at least one form of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence and/or controlling behaviours by their husband during their lifetime. Furthermore, half of women who experience physical and or/sexual violence by a husband/partner never tell anyone about it, and 90% of women experiencing violence do not seek any help.
* The name has been changed to ensure confidentiality
