Domestic violence units of Kosovo police train in effective response to violence against women
Date:
Investigators of the Domestic Violence Unit of Kosovo Police from different regions of Kosovo[1] studied effective police response to cases of violence against women at a UN Women workshop held at the end of May.
The improvement of the service provided to survivors of violence against women and domestic violence in particular, while safeguarding their rights and creating a system that respects their privacy, dignity and autonomy, was the overall goal of the training delivered by Force International Ltd.
The way police respond to cases of violence against women can have a lasting impact not only for the victim of this crime itself, but for women and girls overall and the society at local, national and international level.
Thirteen committed and passionate investigators with different lengths of experience in the field of work attended the training, which provided them with concrete tools and strategies to apply, and offered insights in how to successfully respond to such sensitive cases, whilst upholding a victims-centered approach. The capacities of Kosovo Police Domestic Violence Unit were strengthened, contributing to delivering services and assistance to victims of violence against women in line with the Istanbul Convention, Sustainable Development Goals and national legislation in Kosovo.
The police response course included scenario-based exercises on proper crime scene management, risk assessment and safety planning, effective communication and media handling in investigating crime and reassuring public, as well as dealing with victims, vulnerability and intimidation. Participants developed an understanding of violence against women from different perspectives and of the various factors affecting victims and communities.
The training was led by Ms. Jane Townsley, founder of Force International and retired UK senior police officer and an experienced gender specialist in the field of policing and security providing both advice and training on gender capacity building and the implementation of gender responsive policing. Ms. Townsley also served as President of the International Association of Women Police from 2009-2015.
Ms. Townsley emphasized the crucial role of the domestic violence unit for the victims of such crime on one hand, but also for the trust and confidence in police. Effective police response is a major contributing factor to the reputation of Kosovo Police, but also for Kosovo’s reputation internationally. The training also conveyed that gender-responsive policing is about ensuring that the needs of men and women, boys and girls are taken into account equally when delivering policing services as well as the needs of those men and women working within the police.
[1] All references to Kosovo on this website shall be understood to be in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).