Domestic violence remains a serious problem in Lithuania. Police reported 47,9 thousand cases of domestic violence in 2017. There was a decrease of reports (41,5 thousand) in 2018, but in 2019 the number of reports increased up to 53 thousand.
The need of the project is determined by the lack of skills and competences of law enforcement chain in organizing prevention of domestic violence, responding to incidents of domestic violence and conducting pre-trial investigation of domestic violence.
The project aims to improve policies to prevent domestic violence, to strengthen the capacities of justice chain professionals, to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation in order to effective allocate functions within the justice chain.
The project includes:
- Study on the implementation of legal regulations in the area of gender-based violence and domestic violence.
- Manual for justice chain professionals on evidence collection and evaluation.
- Training for justice chain professionals and representatives of NGOs, also specialized training for police officers, community police officers and prosecutors.
- Workshops in Lithuania and Norway.
- Awareness raising for the public to promote a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence.
- Joint meetings among justice chain authorities, social partners and local municipalities.
- Creation of risk management information system, which will help the police officers to identify risky persons (potential perpetrators) and start preventive pro-active actions.
- Equipping the police officers with body-worn cameras.
Target groups of the project are representatives of the justice chain, NGOs, society and victims of domestic violence.
Donor project partner Oslo Police District will share its knowledge and the best practice in the area of domestic violence and gender-based violence during the workshops organized within the project. The involvement of the Lithuanian project partners will ensure synergies between justice chain authorities.