A counseling center for the psychological recovery of trafficking survivors opens in Belgrade 

Photos made by Dragan Mujan

Some places are not built only with walls. They are built on trust. On the calmness in which someone can speak for the first time. On the feeling that it is safe to be there. Such a place now exists.

NGO Atina, with the support of the Intesa Foundation, a philanthropic organization, has opened in Belgrade a space carefully developed over time in collaboration with those who need it most.

This counseling center is not just a new service. It is a space where recovery can begin. Belgrade has gained a place where new beginnings are possible.

Through working with women who have survived violence and exploitation, we have learned a simple but difficult truth: without psychological support, there is no real recovery. Trauma does not end when the violence stops. It remains in the body, in thoughts, in relationships, and in everyday decisions. That is why psychological support is not a luxury; it is a right, and often the first step toward regaining control over one’s life.

In this space, women can rebuild a sense of safety, understand what they have been through, and, step by step, restore trust in themselves, in others, and in the world around them.

A space shaped by women who have survived human trafficking

This counseling center was not created in secret. Women with lived experience of human trafficking took part in shaping it. Their voices, needs, and insights influenced every aspect of the space.

That is why it looks different today. There are spaces for silence and spaces for conversation. Open areas and more private corners. Natural materials, light, greenery, and calm. Everything is there for a reason. Every element has its purpose. Everything is there to say, you are safe here.

More than a counseling center

This space is much more than a place for individual work. It is also a place of connection, understanding, and exchange, where experience becomes knowledge and where personal stories do not end in silence but become part of change.

It is a step toward a society in which trauma is not left to the individual alone, but recognized as a shared responsibility.

By opening this counseling center, we are taking an important step toward a society where recovery is not a privilege, but accessible support.

Made possible together

The counseling center was established with the support of the Intesa Foundation, founded by Banca Intesa, whose support made it possible to bring this space to life.

Thanks to this partnership, there is now a place that carries something much greater than its function, a place that represents a beginning.