Housing ceded by Domus Social takes in victims of domestic violence

The housing of Associação Democrática da Defesa e da Igualdade das Mulheres (ADDIM) is serving as a refuge for victims of domestic violence and in situations of social emergency. The councillor for Housing of Porto City Hall, Pedro Baganha, has recently visited the space to learn about the work developed by the volunteers of the institution at Casa Abrigo.

Ceded by Domus Social, a municipal company, in 2015, this Casa Abrigo takes in victims of domestic violence, as well as their underage children, to protect and safeguard their physical and psychological integrity. As Pedro Baganha reinforces, “This is more than a housing solution, it is a true home that allows for the victims to rebuild the lives that have been lacerated by this plight”.

The house has rooms for adults and children, a dining room, storage, and a laundry room and it is fully furnished thanks to private donations and other donation initiatives such as Open Day, organised by Domus Social.

During the visit, which was attended by Filipa Melo, the vice-president of the Administration Council of Domus Social, it was possible to get to know the space, as well as the dedication and commitment of the ADDIM team in turning the space into a comfortable home adapted to the needs of the women that resort to the organisation.

The stay in Casa Abrigo is meant to be temporary and entails going back to normal life in society, which requires a well-grounded decision by the technical team involved.

The ADDIM is a private institution of social solidarity, created in 1999 by a group of 26 women that, after realising the obstacles faced by women who reported crimes of domestic violence, took the initiative to start an association that would defend them.