EWL participates in Mental Health Europe partners meeting in framework of project to work with law enforcement agents to tackle domestic violence
[Brussels, 21 September 2011] As every fifth woman in Europe has been a victim of intimate partner violence, there is no doubt that domestic abuse should be high on the European agenda. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) thus welcomed the initiative of EWL Associate Member Organisation Mental Health Europe (MHE) to tackle domestic violence by training law enforcement agents - the first points of contact for women denouncing their aggressors - on the mental health aspects associated with this type of violence. Mental Health Europe’s project, ‘Train, Improve, Reduce. Diminish the mental health and psychological consequences of violence against women by dismantling prejudices of law enforcement agent’s, is a unique attempt to raise awareness of the problems involved in dealing with victims of domestic violence, and above all, to improve the ability of the police to perceive and respond to the victims’ needs.
As member of the projects’ Advisory Committee, the EWL participated in the second partners meeting, organised by MHE on September 20, 2011. As well as hosting the project partners, which came from six European countries, Mental Health Europe also welcomed speakers from the Federal and Local Belgium Police, Prof. Myriam Van Moffaert from University of Ghent, Maude Luherne from AGE Platform Europe and Eve Geddie from PICUM. The presentations, which focused on the mental health aspects of domestic violence, its European dimension and police response, also addressed the particular aspects associated with intimate partner violence in vulnerable groups.
This is the second project MHE is carrying out in the area of violence against women. The project outcomes will include training sessions for police officers in the participating countries, along with a handbook which will showcase examples of good practices. Moreover, MHE and its partners will develop policy recommendations, which, together with the project outcomes, will be presented at the final conference in December 2012.
For more information on the project, please contact MHE Daphne Project Coordinator Karina Huberman at karina.huberman@mhe-sme.org or check the website of the projet.
You can also download the flyer of the MHE project, and the PPT presentation of Policy Officer and Project Coordinator Pierrette Pape on domestic violence in the EU, at the MHE second partners’ meeting.
