The “Change the story!” campaign, conducted by ADRA Romania, is not only about what a person experiencing domestic abuse can do; it is about what each person can do to effect change. This scourge affects everyone, as its effects spread throughout the community and society. Thus, everyone can all help change a story of abuse.

How? By providing emotional and informational support to those going through such situations. It is essential to believe the story of one who courageously dares to share her awful experience and support her with patience and empathy. Many survivors of abuse are not believed, which throws them into a cycle of learned helplessness from which it is even harder to break free. Everyone needs to be committed and actively fight for a better society, said Alina Bordas-Mohorea, psychotherapist for ADRA Romania.

Violence against women has a series of deep, painful effects, at both the individual and social levels, being a serious and generalized problem with devastating effects on the victims. Change the story!, carried out by ADRA Romania from November 25–December 10, 2023, aimed to raise awareness among the population, authorities, and especially people at risk of violence. Everyone can individually and collectively contribute to changing the current tragic reality through determination, support, and direct involvement.

Change the story! was part of ADRA Romania’s strategy to advocate for a united family, healthy relationships between partners, and the empowerment of survivors of domestic abuse.

ADRA Romania

Since 1990, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Romania has been particularly involved in development projects that benefit the entire population. Conducting itself in the projects undertaken according to the motto "Justice. Compassion. Love.," ADRA Romania brings joy and hope to the lives of beneficiaries by promoting a better future, values, ​​and human dignity.

As an accredited social service provider, ADRA Romania is part of the ADRA International network, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, one of the most widespread non-governmental organizations in the world. It is active in more than 118 countries and guided by a philosophy that combines compassion with a practical spirit, addressing people in need without racial, ethnic, political, or religious distinctions, with the aim of serving humanity so that all may live together as God intended.

The original version of this story was posted on the ADRA Europe website.