Le istituzioni locali e il mondo associativo per la costruzione di una rete in materia di cooperazione, cultura di pace, integrazione multietnica, promozione dei diritti umani e della solidarietà fra i popoli.
In Reggio Emilia “Rosemary” have saved more than 100 women
In the last 5 years more than 100 women and transsexuals have been saved from prostitution and sexual exploitation thanks to the project “Rosemary” managed by the mobile unit’s municipality of Reggio Emilia.
“Rosemary” is part of a bigger regional project which is “Oltre la strada” having the same aim to save women from prostitution.
In the first contact social workers give to prostitutes food and medicine, then the social workers accompaign them on the path of social inclusion for a period of six months to 1 year. Women could be host by a family or a community, or they could attend training courses to find a new job. Moreover foreign women have the possibility to denounce their exploiters and be regulated to start a new life in Italy.
Rosemary’s communication - Last year “Rosemary” has contacted more than 600 persons to give them new opportunity. The aim of the project is also to guarantee an efficient communication to reach all the victims of prostitution who are more often foreigners. For example, in 2006 considering the high number of Chinese prostitutes, “Rosemary” has obtained from the municipality an interpreter to communicate more clearly with them.
In general prostitutes of Reggio Emilia come from Niger, Ecuador and Uruguay, and there are also many transsexuals from Brasil. This year there are many Romanian girls who stay more often in the district of Pieve Modolena. Gina Pedroni, Councillor of equal opportunities in the municipality, has guaranteed for this year not only more social workers in this area, but also an interpreter to encourage the communication. The operation is also supported by the citizens who live in the district: they have accepted the iniziative and have promoted a new organization in the area.
“Fiori di Strada” in Bologna- “Fiori di strada” is the name of another association in Bologna which since 1 year has fought against prostitution and sexual exploitation. During this year the association has given assistance, information, medicines and also legal aid to women in difficulty. 31 girls have stopped working as prostitutes and have begun a new life, sometimes they also come back to their own country: which both represent an important result for the association.
