1989: Nurse in Leipzig, 1990 founding member of the association “Frauen für Frauen” e.V.; 1994 – 1997 studied social work; since 2003 head of the Coordination and Intervention Centre against Domestic Violence and Stalking – a project of the association “Frauen für Frauen” e.V.
Gabi Eßbach
When we started the women’s refuge in 1990 – we had 23 places… and we realised that they weren’t enough for the city of Leipzig. We then very quickly applied to move to a larger building. In 1994, we were finally able to move into a larger building. We are still there today with thirty-three places. In 1992, we opened the first women’s advice centre in Connewitz – because there are also women who don’t want to go to a women’s refuge but are affected by violence and urgently need advice. Most of us (at Frauen für Frauen) came from healthcare professions. And almost all of us then gradually studied social work while working. This profession didn’t exist in the GDR. And I, for example, couldn’t study because I was church-going and not in the FDJ. I was keen to acquire knowledge and expand my knowledge. I was incredibly happy to study social work in Dresden while working.
Read more: in Frauen für Frauen
The entire interview plus photo collection will be available in the Open Feminist Democracy Archive | OfemDA, which is currently being created. See here