IMPROVING SERVICES IMPROVING SERVICES

FOR VICTIMS FOR VICTIMS

AND THEIR FAMILIESAND THEIR FAMILIES

Katarina BlatnikKatarina Blatnik

Safe Journey InstituteSafe Journey Institute

Slovenia and road safetySlovenia and road safety• 6.000 deaths and 20.000 injured due to traffic related 6.000 deaths and 20.000 injured due to traffic related

accidents since 1991 (only 2 mil. inhabitants)accidents since 1991 (only 2 mil. inhabitants)• Tolerance toward speed, alcohol, braking rulesTolerance toward speed, alcohol, braking rules• Using safety belts, child safety seats, helmets… still a Using safety belts, child safety seats, helmets… still a

problemproblem• Victims of traffic accidents are a taboo topicVictims of traffic accidents are a taboo topic• Discrimination of victims in local environment – tolerance Discrimination of victims in local environment – tolerance

toward persons responsible for an accidenttoward persons responsible for an accident• Help providing only to people who have serious and complex Help providing only to people who have serious and complex

injuries (major physical trauma)injuries (major physical trauma)• 10 years lasting legal proceedings (person responsible 10 years lasting legal proceedings (person responsible for for

an accident is often not punished)an accident is often not punished)• There are two organizations (Poravnava, Odškodnina), There are two organizations (Poravnava, Odškodnina),

who offer victims minimal monetary compensation who offer victims minimal monetary compensation andand take more than 50%take more than 50%

Drawing attention to the problemDrawing attention to the problem

• World day of remembrance for road traffic World day of remembrance for road traffic victims victims (for the first time in Slovenia, victims of (for the first time in Slovenia, victims of traffic related accidents have publicly spoken traffic related accidents have publicly spoken about their suffering, struggles…)about their suffering, struggles…)

• Educational workshops for young people 5x Educational workshops for young people 5x STOP is COOL STOP is COOL (young victims represent their (young victims represent their stories to young people in primary and high stories to young people in primary and high schools)schools)

• Media support (Media support (stories of victims represented in stories of victims represented in TV news and programmes, on internet sites TV news and programmes, on internet sites of different journals (70.000 visitors in one of different journals (70.000 visitors in one day)day)

Programmes of Safe Journey Programmes of Safe Journey Institute Institute

• Individual support for victims and their families, Individual support for victims and their families, families who lost a memberfamilies who lost a member

• Group therapy for victims and their families, Group therapy for victims and their families, families who lost a memberfamilies who lost a member

• Working with victims on prevention programmes Working with victims on prevention programmes (5x STOP is COOL)(5x STOP is COOL)

• Legal support (two major law offices offered free Legal support (two major law offices offered free legal support to our members – victims and legal support to our members – victims and families)families)

• Other types of counselling (road safety, Other types of counselling (road safety, health related topics…)health related topics…)

ProblemsProblems

• Psychological support has a negative connotation Psychological support has a negative connotation (only crazy people need help)(only crazy people need help)

• Because we are a young organization (2 years of Because we are a young organization (2 years of existing and working) our programmes are not existing and working) our programmes are not publicly known – difficulties reaching victims of publicly known – difficulties reaching victims of traffic accidentstraffic accidents

• The programme is not financially and otherwise The programme is not financially and otherwise supported by government organizationssupported by government organizations

• Limited promotion of the programmes Limited promotion of the programmes because of the lack of financesbecause of the lack of finances

AchievementsAchievements• We have opened the “Pandora’s box” and made We have opened the “Pandora’s box” and made

the problems of victims of traffic accidents the problems of victims of traffic accidents publicly known (WDR, 5x STOP is COOL, media publicly known (WDR, 5x STOP is COOL, media support)support)

• In a 2 years time we have helped a lot of victims In a 2 years time we have helped a lot of victims through legal, psychosocial and other support through legal, psychosocial and other support (56 persons are included in psychosocial (56 persons are included in psychosocial individual support programme)individual support programme)

• Cooperation with other NGO’sCooperation with other NGO’s• Support by the Ministry of Health for Support by the Ministry of Health for

prevention programmes and WDRprevention programmes and WDR

Objectives of improving Objectives of improving psychological carepsychological care

• Drawing people's attention to the invisible psychological scars that accidents often create - WDR, 5x STOP is COOL (story of victim)

• Giving greater visibility to psychological support programmes, so that people have a better knowledge of these programmes and their roles

• Assembling the lessons learned from the different programmes (good practises)

• Making recommendations so that guidelines for implementing psychological support can be produced in the near future.