VZCZCXRO2582
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0750/01 1770756
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250756Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8069
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4890
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000750 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, G/IWI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KWMN PGOV VM
SUBJECT: NGOs, Vietnam Women's Union Address Domestic Violence 
Prevention 
 
REF: A) 07 HANOI 2011, B) HANOI 0749 
 
HANOI 00000750  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  During her June 9-11 visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh 
City, Andrea Bottner, Senior Coordinator, Office of International 
Women's Issues, participated in roundtable discussions with the 
Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) and local and international NGOs, 
visited to two women's shelters hotlines for domestic violence and 
human trafficking victims.  Vietnamese interlocutors provided 
extensive background about the challenges of addressing domestic 
violence in Vietnam, including the need for shelters for victims and 
lack of public awareness.  End Summary. 
 
VWU Domestic Violence Shelter 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The VWU and the National Committee for the Advancement of 
Women in Hanoi conducted a lively discussion on the need for an 
effective shelter system in Vietnam, as well as the need for trained 
social workers to provide counseling and other services.  Ms. 
Bottner shared the U.S. experience with shelters, noting that these 
facilities began as emergency services for women in crisis, but now 
offer an expanded array of services based on the needs of the 
victims, including health, counseling, legal aid, and employment 
services.  Today, U.S. shelters are striving to reach isolated 
communities and improve service delivery to underserved populations. 
 
 
¶3. (U) Ms. Le Thi Thuy, Director of the Center for Women and 
Development (CWD), a sub-organization of the VWU, explained that 
Vietnam has one pilot shelter in Hanoi - the "Peace House Project." 
Peace House has served forty women and children since it first 
opened in March 2007 and is an early first step in building a system 
of shelters to provide counseling and assistance to victims of 
domestic violence.  The Peace House slogan, "You are not alone, we 
are beside you," is aimed at encouraging women to have the 
self-confidence to come forward and seek help when they are being 
abused. 
 
¶4. (U) Along with providing free accommodation, access to health 
care, legal aid, and group activities for victims of domestic 
violence, the project also provides counseling services and 
information on the prevention of domestic violence, drug use, human 
trafficking, and HIV/AIDS.  Peace House residents may choose to work 
at the CWD guest house so that they can begin to earn their own 
money.  Ms. Thuy cited good coordination with the local hospital and 
local lawyers, but emphasized that the project is still sensitive 
and not publicly known.  While access is usually only provided to 
donors, Ms. Bottner's group toured the facility and spoke with its 
staff and several residents. 
 
¶5. (U) Ms. Bottner praised these efforts, highlighting that Vietnam 
has taken an important first step in providing what women in abusive 
situations need - a safe place to go.  To the great interest of the 
VWU, Ms. Bottner provided a detailed explanation of the Family 
Justice Center (FJC) model in the U.S., explaining that an FJC 
strives to provide all services a victim might need under one roof, 
including to those women who may not be ready to leave an abusive 
situation and enter a shelter.  Given the cultural importance of 
family unity, the VWU suggested this model may work well in 
addressing the needs of domestic violence victims who may not be 
prepared leave an abusive partner for fear of shaming their family 
or community. 
 
¶6. (U) Ms. Green, a member of Ms. Bottner's party, explained that 
Second Chance Employment Services (SCES), the U.S.-based NGO she 
leads, seeks to provide services for victims who have moved beyond 
the crisis stage by working with businesses and service providers in 
the community.  The VWU Family Department showed particular interest 
in SCES's ability to provide services free of charge (providers work 
pro bono).  Ms. Green clarified that SCES is mostly privately 
funded, but has received USG grant money.  She also explained that 
SCES's strong working relationship with law enforcement is a key 
part of its enduring success. 
 
Engagement with the DV Prevention Network 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) In an animated roundtable discussion hosted by the Center for 
Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender-Family-Women and Adolescents 
(CSAGA), Ms. Bottner and members Domestic Violence Prevention 
Network in Vietnam (DOVIPNET) shared experiences and highlighted 
ongoing challenges in combating domestic violence. 
 
¶8. (U) Background note:  CSAGA is a Vietnamese NGO whose mission is 
to increase awareness and resolve problems related to gender, 
family, women and adolescents by reaching out through counseling, 
communication and training.  DOVIPNET, established on October 27, 
2007 (largely due to the efforts of CSAGA's director, Ms. Nguyen Van 
 
HANOI 00000750  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Anh), is a network of individuals, domestic and international NGOs, 
and foreign donors, who share experiences and initiatives and work 
together on domestic violence issues.  End background note. 
 
¶9. (U) The group discussion initially focused on public awareness, 
education, and training.  A Project Officer from a local NGO, 
Consultation of Investment in Health Promotion, Ms. Quang Thu Trang, 
discussed a project in Vietnam's Central highlands, noting their 
efforts to convince local authorities that domestic violence is not 
a one family problem but an issue for the whole community.  Success 
in changing attitudes is one of the main factors in evaluating the 
success of their projects. 
 
¶10. (U) ActionAid, an international NGO, conducts training for the 
VWU at local levels and local public awareness campaigns.  Ms. Tran 
Tu Hang, ActionAid Project Officer, highlighted one project wherein 
the entire community participated in a creative writing campaign on 
the theme of domestic violence.  Ms. Van Anh also noted CSAGA's work 
to improve mass media coverage of the issue, including trying to 
educate and train reporters on domestic violence. 
 
¶11. (U) Ms. To Thi Bay, Program Officer with the Mennonite Central 
Committee, commented that NGO efforts are vital as the GVN often 
focuses training efforts on mediation and resolution in an attempt 
to keep families together.  Ms. Bay criticized this approach, noting 
that women facing violence need to leave abusive situations first 
and consider reconciliation attempts after they are safe.  The 
Institute for Social Development Studies representative, Dr. Khuat 
Tu Hong, agreed, stating that the goal is a safe family, not just 
keeping a family together.  She added her criticism of the 
reconciliation committees, noting that they sometimes encourage 
women to stay in abusive situations in order to keep families 
together.  The community leaders want harmonious families in order 
to keep the peace in the community.  "Civil society must be 
engaged," stated Dr. Hong, "women have been waiting too long for the 
government to do something about this problem." 
 
¶12. (U) Many participants agreed on the need to provide women a safe 
environment, even in the absence of a shelter system.  ActionAid, 
for example, set up clubs for women to share their experiences and 
support each other.  Several participants also have similar projects 
in rural communities and underscored the importance of establishing 
groups that meet regularly to allow victims sufficient time to 
become confident enough to speak out.  (Note:  Following the 
discussion, Ms. Bottner's group toured the CSAGA hotline facility, 
chatting to volunteers manning the phones.  The crisis hotline was 
established in 1997 and now has two numbers - one for domestic 
violence victims and one for trafficking victims.  End note.) 
 
¶13. (SBU) In HCMC, conflicting opinions regarding cultural attitudes 
and family reconciliation were themes in discussions with NGOs.  A 
HCMC Women's Union official noted that part of their efforts to 
prevent domestic violence included classes on beauty and cooking to 
"help wives make husbands happier."  Several NGOs representatives 
emphasized that reconciliation should be the primary goal when 
dealing with cases of domestic violence.  While admitting that this 
complicated the development of a formal shelter system to support 
victims of domestic violence who may need to leave their home, 
several NGO representatives explained that there is a network of 
"Reliable Addresses," where a victim can go to the home of a 
community leader, who will help with the reconciliation process, or 
call in the authorities as warranted (ref B).  Others advocated for 
services based on victims needs, including shelters or employment 
services, even if it meant the couples would not be reconciled.  A 
number of NGO leaders agreed with the view of some GVN officials 
that domestic violence could be the result of external factors, like 
poverty, economic changes, alcoholism and conflicts with in-laws, 
rather than recognizing the behavioral issues and putting the 
appropriate blame on the abuser.  While attitudes are still 
evolving, all of the HCMC NGO representatives present voiced a 
strong commitment to combat domestic violence and raise public 
awareness. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶14. (SBU) Local and international NGOs are clearly rising to the 
challenge of domestic violence prevention and in some cases, leading 
the charge.  However, entrenched cultural attitudes, the low level 
of public awareness, challenges associated with coordination between 
the the GVN and NGOs, donors, health care professionals, and other 
service providers, a lack of resources, and the need for trained 
social workers and counselors to build and maintain a viable shelter 
system in Vietnam mean that advocacy organizations still have their 
work cut out for them.  Implementing the DV law will require the 
active engagement of NGOs, the Vietnam Women's Union and others in 
the advocacy community to effectively combat domestic violence over 
the long term.  Key NGOs understand the complexity of the problem 
 
HANOI 00000750  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
sufficiently to educate those driving the legal implementation 
process forward.  The high level of engagement and interest from the 
Vietnam Women's Union and the Center for Women and Development also 
bodes well for greater progress on this issue.  Ms. Bottner's visit 
highlighted the importance to the U.S. of combating domestic 
violence and lent significant credibility to those organizations at 
the forefront of the issue.  End comment. 
 
¶15. (U) This cable was jointly prepared with ConGen Ho Chi Minh City 
and cleared by G/IWI. 
 
ALOISI