POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE 2019 highlight – Increasing police capacities to address domestic violence Throughout 2019, the Mission also enabled 14 police investigators In December, with the support of remained committed to assisting the to gain knowledge in dealing with the Italian Embassy and Norwegian beneficiaries in addressing gender- vulnerable victims of domestic Government, the Mission provided based violence, with an emphasis violence. three regional KP directorates with placed on domestic violence. In an three domestic violence friendly effort to sustain their capacities in In November, upon beneficiaries’ interview rooms for use during the this area, the Mission continues to request for more specialized investigative processes of domestic support the KP Domestic Violence capacity-building activities, violence cases. Designed to offer Unit (DVU) in effectively preventing the Mission conducted a ToT a safe and friendly environment and fighting domestic violence workshop on domestic violence for the victims of domestic and through the delivery of specialized risk assessment for 20 members gender-based violence, the Mission and ToT courses. of the KP Domestic Violence Unit, equipped these rooms with Prosecution Office, and shelters computers, cameras, sofas, beds, Building on the successfully for victims of domestic violence. and toys for children. completed activities in the past, Participants gained knowledge in February, in co-operation with to assess the risk of domestic The Mission will continue to focus the Italian Embassy, the Mission violence and violence against its assistance in strengthening delivered training sessions for 12 women, as well as in working the skills of the KP officers and KP trainers as ‘first responders’ to effectively according to the SARA prosecutors to effectively assess domestic violence. As a successful model. Moreover, through an gender sensitive risks and manage investigation into domestic violence additional specialized training the risk of domestic violence is largely dependent on ‘first event, the Mission equipped cases. With the community policing responders’, participants learned 16 officers of the KP DVU with approach seen as key in preventing how to identify early indicators of interviewing skills regarding domestic violence, the Mission will domestic abuse, methods to employ domestic violence cases. With a also continue to facilitate additional when responding to calls involving focus placed on the protection of specialized training workshops domestic violence, and how to vulnerable victims’ and children related to domestic violence transfer the acquired knowledge to rights, participants learned about for police officers involved in others. During a specialized training motivational techniques and community policing. seminar held in March, the Mission interviewing strategies. 73