Full Cooperation: Zero Violence

JUST/2015/RDAP/AG/MULT – 9835

MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND EQUALITY

Aims and Objectives• To strengthen multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary cooperation, enabling relevant

professionals to collaborate on, mitigate and respond to violence against women(VAW) and gender-based violence (GBV) effectively;

• To develop and implement training programmes, a manual of procedures (MOP) anda set of standard operating procedures (SOP) enabling cooperation and coordinationof professionals from various sectors who come into contact with potential victims,thus ascertaining an upgrade in the quality of services and the introduction ofnational minimum standards;

• To raise awareness and encourage victims and potential victims, witnesses andbystanders to report violence and seek help through the upgraded services; and

• To share lessons learnt in European Union (EU) fora and bilaterally.

Project Partners

1. University of Malta

2. University of Worcester

3. Agenzija Appogg

4. Malta Police Force

5. Primary Healthcare

6. Department of Education

7. Commission on Domestic Violence

Project Timeline and Budget

• January 2017 to December 2018

• €350,000

• Complementing the National Strategy on Gender-based Violence and Domestic Violence

• Needs analysis with stakeholders to strengthen multi-agency collaboration

Project Work Streams Research

Training for professionals

Collection of Services

Awareness Raising

Campaign

Research: ‘Barriers to Help-Seeking in Gender-Based Violence Against Women’

• 8 main barriers:

Cultural barriers Socio-economic barriers

Survivor-related barriers

Perpetrator-related barriers

Offspring-related barriers

Informal networks (Family and Friends)

barrier

Psychosocial/Health Care/Education

provision barriers

Justice system barriers (including police and courts)

RecommendationsThis study presents a list of 32 recommendations in total; here are some:

• awareness campaigns;

• specialist training;

• promotion of gender sensitivity in the justice system;

• the provision of handbooks and training to first responding officers and investigators;

• better legal provision;

• addressing the gap between service availability and accessibility;

• specialist services in Gozo;

• mechanisms for more effective inter-agency collaboration;

• gender-mainstreaming in areas of policy; and

• further research.

Training for professionals

• To equip multi-sector, multi-disciplinary professionals with theknowledge, understanding and skills to respond effectively to domesticviolence;

• To develop multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary cooperation thatenables relevant professionals to effectively collaborate to prevent andrespond to domestic violence;

• To strengthen coordination in the provision of all related services toreduce the risk of repeat victimisation and work towards prevention.

Training for professionals

Plan Stage 1 & 2

Stage 1 (Final)

Stage 2 (Not final)

Plan Stage 3

520 717 428 100

Professionals include:

• Doctors and Nurses from A&E Department, PrimaryHealth Care, and Gozo Hospital

• Midwives

• Social Workers

• Psycho-social professionals, PSCD and guidance teachers

• Legal Aid Lawyers and professionals from thedepartment of Justice

• Judges and Magistrates

• Probation Officers

• Police Officers

• NGOs professionals

• Other professionals (MEAE, UoM, CDV, CRPD)

Collection of Services

• To equip multi-sector, multi-disciplinary professionals with protocolsand guidelines to be able to respond effectively to VAW and GBV inconjunction with other professional entities in Malta in a co-ordinatedand safe way;

• Following Stage 1 Training for professionals feedback: ‘Collection ofServices’;

• Standard Operating Procedures.

Raising Awareness Campaign • To raise awareness amongst professionals, victims and/or potential victims on the

new procedures in place;

• To raise awareness among the general public (possible bystanders and witnesses)to encourage reporting.

• Awareness activity:

- Video & radio spots

- Posters

- Reach of Facebook and Google ads

- Bus shelter adverts

- Online banners

- Unique visitors on project webpage

Thank you for your attention

Katya Unah

katya.unah@gov.mt