We are an integrated team of women and men professionals in psychology, law and social work. We are workshop leaders and volunteers who firmly believe in the equality between women and men as well as in the right of all to good mental health, legal representation and a life free from violence.
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Our GUIDING principles are:
- Non-revictimization
- Principle of good faith.
- No criminalization
- Best interests of children
The characteristics of our assistance are:
- Immediate
- Accessible
- Integral
- Confidential
- Quality and warmth
- Empathy and solidarity
Elegir Center – How can we help you?
Through a multidisciplinary intervention we offer support and accompaniment to persons in situations of violence and vulnerability.
Emergency Hotline 24/7
415 170 64 88
Psychological Assistance
or outside consultation
Legal advice and legal representation
At a low cost
Shelter
For persons in situations of domestic violence
Emergency Hotline
415-170-6488
If you live in a situation of violence or your integrity and that of your daughters and sons is in danger, DO NOT HESITATE to call us, WE WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO.
Or you can call 911 or 075
If you know someone who could benefit from this information, share it.
CONSULTATION, ACCOMPANIMENT AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION
- Do you know the legal instruments with which you can face your problem or conflict?
- Have you been a victim of a crime or violation of human rights that you would like to report?
- Do you want to initiate a divorce, food support or custody?
Our team of feminist lawyers and our volunteer lawyers offer you legal advice and will accompany you to the Ministry of Public Matters or will initiate your request.
Our hours are from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
If you would like to receive psychological assistance, contact us.
Call 415706488 or (415) 154 60 60 Ext. 105
““SEEKING HELP WAS THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE”“
PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY
- Are you living with some form of violence?
- Are you feeling sad?
- Did someone injure or hurt your self-esteem?
Our METWORK of psychologists are ready to help you. Through psychological therapy you will learn to resolve, confront, manage, overcome and prevent situations which put your mental health at risk.
““ELEGIR FIRST THINK OF ME, CARE FOR ME AND LOVE ME.”
Temporary Shelter for Victims of Violence
The Temporary Shelter of CASA operated by the Elegir Center is a safe space and confidential, where we can guard you and initiation a plan of action to resolve the violent situation which drove you to be with us.
Requirements:
- To be in a situation of vulnerability or extreme violence.
- Having used up all other means of support
- To receive psychological and legal assistance (Elegir Center can offer you these)
- Not under psychiatric care
- No addictions or drug abstinence of less than 6 months
- Sign a request to enter the shelter
In the case of an institution wanting to refer a person to the shelter, there are the additional requirements:
- A letter of request
- A medical certificate for each person desiring to enter
- Letter indicating co-responsibility for the individual(s)
“IF I HAD NOT DECIDED TO REPORT IT, I WOULD BE DEAD TODAY”
Types of Violence
Physical Violence:
Any physical act, non-accidental, which inflicts damage to a woman through the use of physical force, substances, arms and objects which can provoke or not lesions, whether internal, external or both.
Teacher Violence:
Whatever acts that damage self-esteem of female students through acts of discrimination according to sex, age, social status, academic, limitations or physical characteristics, which teachers might inflict.
Feminicidal Violence:
This is an extreme form of sexual violence against women, a product of violation of their human rights, in public or private, made up of a set of misogynist actions which can lead to social impunity and of the State. They can culminate in homicide and other forms of deadly violence against women.
Sexual Violence:
Any sexual act which threatens, degrades or damages the body or sexuality of the victim or both, which limits liberty, dignity, sexual security or physical integrity, from an abuse of power and supremacy over the victim to denigrate her or treat her as an object.
Patrimonial Violence:
Any act or omission that damages the psychological or emotional stability of a woman including negligence, abandonment, repeated carelessness, jealousy, insults, humiliations, devaluation, marginalization, indifference, infidelity, destructive comparisons, rejection, restriction of self determination and threats, which lead the victim to depression, isolation, devaluation of their self esteem including suicide.
Patrimonial Violence:
Whatever act or omission which affects the survival of the victim. This manifests as the transformation, subtraction, destruction, limitation, retention or subtraction of objects, personal documents, assets, values, patrimonial rights or economic resources destined to satisfy her needs and can encompass damages to common or personal property of the victim.
Economic Violence:
All the actions or omissions of an aggressor that affect the economic situation of a victim. It manifests as limitations aimed at controlling income and economic perceptions, as well as the perception of a lower salary for the same work within the same workplace and unfulfilling family assistance obligations.
Political Violence:
Violence:
The illegal refusal to contract with a victim or respect her continued or general conditions of employment, disqualification of work undertaken, threats, intimidation, humiliation, exploitation, impeding a woman from completing child nursing as provided by the law and all types of discrimination based on sex.
Other Types of Violence
Obstetric Violence:
It’s all actions or omissions by medical or administrative personnel of the public and private health services of the State Health System, which violate the principles of Article 3 of the current law or which damage physically or psychologically , hurt, discriminate or denigrate a woman during pregnancy, birthing or puerperium. This includes medical negligence, denial of services and the limitation of sexual and reproductive rights of women.
Political Violence: politics:
It’s an action or omission in the public or private political sphere with the objective of limiting, canceling or undermining the exercising of the political-electoral rights of a woman, access to the full exercise of the attributes inherent in the role or functioning of a public capacity and which manifest in pressure, persecution, harassment, molestation, coercion, vexation, discrimination, threats or privation of liberty or life because of gender.
Violence by Harassment:
It’s the aggression reflected in any expressed act, verbal or physical, motivated or oriented toward sexually-based discrimination which result in inconveniences or risky situations, including in cases where there is no subordination, but where the harasser commits an abusive acts of power leaving the victim indefensible.
Digital Violence:
It’s actions or omissions which occur when a person provokes or realizes physical or psychological harm to a woman, using information and communication technologies making vulnerable her dignity, privacy, liberty or private life.
FIGURES
According to world statistics, one in three women in the world have suffered from physical or sexual violence by their partners or ex-partners (UN)
The report of the Executive Secretary shows an increase of 139,477 emergency calls related to incidents of violence against women, registered from 2020 to 2022.
Mexico: In 2022 the Mexican Observatory for Feminicide had reported 724 feminicides up to the month of September.
The four principal reasons for why women do not denounce or request help are: because it’s not important enough and doesn’t affect them (55.3%), because they’re ashamed (10.1%), fear of the consequences (9.7%), and because they don’t know how and where to denounce/report (9%)
During the Covid-19 pandemic in Mexico, violence against women increased 81%. During 2020 Guanajuato was the most violent place in Mexico for women.
Contacts for the Elegir Center
Working Hours:
Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Address:
Santa Julia #15, Col. Santa Julia, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
Mail:
24-hour emergency hotline:
(415) 170 64 88