8 GENDER PERSPECTIVES ON TORTURE: Law and Practice working with multi-disciplinary, international teams of experts striving to end all forms of violence against women. This unique partnership connected experts from all corners of the world who are dedicated to eradicating the scourge of gender-based violence with a focus on the power of col­ laboration and a strong belief that a multi-sector approach is crucial to reducing violence against women. While differences in cultures, laws, and resources result in unique challenges for each country, universal patterns, opportunities, and solutions have emerged. Among the most daunting challenges advocates share globally are the enormous difficulties in enforcing legislation, statutes, policies, and protocols that have been signed into law. Many countries have passed legislation spe­ cifically pertaining to gender-based violence, and the vast majority of all countries have the ability to use general assault and rape statutes to hold perpetrators accountable. Despite the presence of policies and statutes that can be used to protect women and prevent impunity, very few countries are effectively implementing domestic legislation. The unfortunate result is that laws fail to achieve their promise, leaving victims unprotected and perpetrators unaccountable. To address this critical need, Vital Voices established the Justice Institute on Gender-Based Violence (Justice Institute Model) capitalizing on the experiences, expertise, and network of the Global Partnership, and incorporating an international training program based on adult learning principles.30 Vital Voices provides innovative and interactive training programs which facilitate the creation of a more holistic response to gender-based violence. a. History and Background of the Justice Institute Model Vital Voices adapted the Justice Institute Model from an effective Model that was originally designed to train judges, prosecutors, and advocates on handling domestic violence cases in the United States, in the late 1990s.31 Vital Voices modified this training Model to ensure applicability to the international context, and it has been implementing it around the world since 2011 in eighteen different trainings throughout the world.32 The Model is based on Kolb’s Theory of Learning Styles and Experiential Learning,33 and looks at learning along two different axes, “concrete experience” and “abstract conceptualization” help­ ing examine whether learners respond more to experience, perception, cognition, or behavior. In 2010, Vital Voices worked with partners to adapt the training to address gender-based violence in various jurisdictions internationally, specifically focusing on the issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Participants in a Justice Institute receive training on a victim-centered approach to offender accountability, focusing on the needs and safety of victims. Participants also receive training on how to collaborate across disciplines and why this is beneficial to them and to the victims, with particular attention being paid to the benefits of women’s leadership in the NGO community. Significantly, the training teaches participants not only how to identify, investigate and prose­ cute cases involving gender-based violence, but also why it is important for them to do so. Vital Voices posits that the most effective response to violence against women is a coordinated one. This requires that members of the criminal justice system (law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, etc.) work collaboratively with women leaders who provide services to victims and engage in Created by Vital Voices and partner FUTURES Without Violence (FWV) https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/judicial-education/ 32 To date, there have been eighteen (18) Justice Institutes held, in various contexts including: Argentina, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, India, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, and The Philippines. 33 See generally, David A. Kolb, Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (1984). 30 31