POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE MCSC members and the efforts made toward building a sustainable framework for MCSCs, including the launch of the Community Safety Web portal in the Prishtinë/Priština region in February 2020. Gender-Based Violence From 4 to 8 February, in co-operation with the Italian Embassy, the Mission delivered a ToT workshop for 12 KP officers on ‘first responders’ to domestic violence. The workshop equipped the participants with best practice in regard to the effective identification of early indicators of domestic abuse, the domestic violence cycle, appropriate methods for responding to calls and cases of domestic abuse, and ensuring the safety of victims and responding police officers. Participants also learned about the methods to transmit this knowledge to their peers. From 25 to 29 March, the Mission delivered a training workshop on “Dealing with vulnerable victims of domestic violence” for 14 police investigators. The training focused on improving investigative skills of officers in approaching and conducting interviews with vulnerable victims of domestic violence, such as women, children, adolescents, elderly people, and persons with physical or psychological disabilities. The training also equipped participants with knowledge about the methods used to protect victims from experiencing traumas, psychological pressure, and possible reiteration of violent conduct. Between 2 May and 10 June, the Mission supported the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in organizing workshops on the “Legal and Policy Framework on Domestic Violence”. The event gathered 53 participants, including legal officers and newly graduated lawyers undertaking an internship within the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Prishtinë/Priština and Basic Prosecutor’s Office and Courts of Gjilan/Gnjilane and Ferizaj/Uroševac municipalities. The workshop aimed at enhancing the participants’ knowledge of the legal and policy framework on domestic violence and on handling domestic violence cases in civil and penal procedures. With the purpose of treating domestic violence cases as high priority, the Basic Prosecutor’s Offices nominated seven prosecutors as co-ordinators in domestic violence cases. The Chief of the KP Training Department also informed the participants that domestic violence was included as criminal act in the new Criminal Code, including two forms of domestic violence: economic and psychologic violence. Furthermore, participants were also briefed on the KP framework on domestic violence, including SOPs for Protection from Domestic Violence and Strategy and Action Plan against Domestic Violence 2016-2020. On 10 June, the Mission organized a roundtable in Prishtinë/ Priština, gathering 16 representatives from an informal women’s safety network, municipal gender equality officers, and women CSOs to discuss security and safety issues faced by women in the Gračanica/Graçanicë and Obiliq/Obilić municipalities, with a focus placed on domestic violence. During the roundtable, participants developed a work plan and recommended that both municipalities fund their implementation. From 4 September to 8 October, in co-operation with the Kosovo Co-ordinator on Domestic Violence, the Mission organized a workshop with the aim of reviewing the “Action Plan of the Strategy against Domestic Violence 2016-2020”. The events gathered 40 representatives from main frontline ministries and service providers, including the KP Domestic Violence Unit, which is responsible for prevention, protection, investigation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims of domestic violence. The aim was to ensure that new trends and developments in addressing domestic violence were reflected, that planned activities were redrafted, that qualitative and quantitative indicators were measurable and that inclusion of the local level stakeholders in the implementation of the strategy was increased. From 4 to 8 November, the Mission delivered a ToT workshop on domestic violence risk assessment to 20 participants representing the KP Domestic Violence Unit, Victims’ Advocacy and Assistance Office of the Prosecution Office, and shelters for victims of domestic violence across Kosovo. The workshop provided the potential trainers with knowledge and practice in working in line with the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment (SARA) model15.  It also equipped participants with additional knowledge on domestic violence, in particular, taking the appropriate measures to assess the risk of domestic violence, violence against women and risk of recidivism. From 18 to 22 November, the Mission organized a specialized training workshop on domestic violence to 16 officers from the KP Domestic Violence Unit. During the training, 16 police officers from the central and regional level became better acquainted with interviewing practices best tailored to assist domestic violence related investigations. They also learned more about effectively using interviewing techniques to ensure that cases of domestic violence are handled accordingly, and victims’ rights are protected. They also gained additional insights on advanced communication 15 The Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA) assists criminal justice professionals in predicting the likelihood of domestic violence. The tool serves as a quality-control checklist that determines the extent to which a professional has assessed the risk factors of key predictive importance according to clinical and empirical literature. 65