The Forum of Women Organisations of Moldova (FWOM) launched a project to improve the level of knowledge and work experience of policemen in successfully solving the problem of gender-based violence. Head of FWOM Elena Burca told Wednesday a news conference, making reference to the results of a survey conducted by the organisation that the domestic violence becomes an epidemic in Moldova. 98.6% of those interviewed confirmed the presence of the violent treatment in family, 70% think that the society treats the domestic violence as a normal state of affairs, 52% said that they know a lot of women who are subjected to domestic violence. 68% of those questioned, who declared themselves as victims of domestic violence, assert that they do not know where they can ask help. In three years alone, about 5,000 women asked help of specialists from the single crisis Centre that provides shelter for maltreated women – “Casa Marioarei”. FWOM project aims at determining the way of perceiving the problem of violence in the Moldovan society, by carrying out certain investigations among the law enforcement bodies, family doctors, social assistants, NGOs etc. Also, it is planned to study the experience of the best international practices in preventing the phenomenon of domestic violence, improving the level of training policemen of the Moldovan Police Academy in preventing the phenomenon and working with the victims of domestic violence; training a group of experts, with a view to studying, working out and promoting certain approaches and new methods of conceptual work in the police activity. The project also provides the creation of a network of journalists that would reflect this problem, print booklets, informative articles aimed at combating stereotypes and improving the level of social culture in the society as regards this problem. The project is sponsored by UNIFEM and will run for a one-year period.