Establishing support groups and improving

148 …managing violence cases require specific skills to explore [the cases], and different people need different counselling approaches. Counselling is very important; focusing only on physical treatment does not help. - Syiska A midwife at Puskesmas Koya Barat better able to record cases, to provide counselling for the survivors, and to refer them to police. 2. With SOPs in place, health workers are able to manage domestic violence cases better. The SOPs provide clear service and reference flows. The clear reference system helps survivors receive appropriate assistance in time. 3. Strong inter-sectoral cooperation to manage cases of violence against women and children improves budget efficiency. Now, all stakeholders understand their responsibilities in domestic violence case management so that budget allocations do not overlap or become the sole responsibility of P2TP2A. 4. The mayor’s decision on P2TP2A was revised to specifically name the staff assigned to be part of the domestic violence management team. With this amended regulation, BPPKB as the supervising body for P2TP2A does not need to train new staff repeatedly whenever there is a staff transfer. 5. The regional action plan will be included in the annual plan of relevant technical offices to ensure sustainability of the program. 6. The counselling facility makes health workers feel more comfortable when doing counselling. 7. Regular monitoring 149 and evaluation strengthens cooperation between the district health office and health centers. Staff also uses evaluation meetings to share experiences. For service users, the program helps them to: 1. Increase women’s awareness on violence against women and children. Grace Makanuay, a member of the MSF says, “Now, I know there is this kind of organization [helping survivors of violence]. I will not keep silent. I will share this information wi th other people.” 2. People better understand the referral system and who should be contacted when cases of domestic violence are identified. 3. The members of MSFs and support groups who have been trained on basic counselling are able to encourage women who experience violence to talk about their cases and to seek help from health centers and police. With the improved counselling ability, MSFs and support groups gain more trust from community members; now, more women talk to them when they experience violence. 4. Having been involved in the development of SOPs and action plans, people better trust their governments and have a sense of ownership of the program. 5. Life skill trainings for the violence survivors increase their self-confidence and help them become economically independent. Sustainability With the development of the regional action plan for domestic violence survivors for the period of 2015 to 2016, the program is likely to be sustained. The action plan gives a bigger