The Women’s Room—Center for Sexual Rights organized the first in a three-part series of modules titled “Specialized training for NGOs and social welfare centers on direct work with victims of domestic violence with a focus on sexual violence: First module—Domestic violence and sexual violence”. The specialized training was held on July 3 and 4, 2015, in Donja Stubica.
The facilitators of the training, which was attended by the representatives of NGOs and social welfare centers, were Antonija Hojt Ilić and Paula Zore.
After the initial introduction of the project of which the training is a part by the Women’s Room member Antonija Hojt Ilić, Women’s Room Coordinator Maja Mamula, PhD introduced the forms, characteristics, and prevalence of domestic violence, the problematics of reporting it, and consequences of domestic violence in a lecture and workshop titled “Domestic violence”. Participants were able to exchange experience in work and practice and arrive at a common solution through case studies.
In the second part of day one, Dr. Mamula gave a lecture and workshop on “Sexual violence: Definitions, forms, characteristics, reporting, consequences”. Participants again worked on concrete cases to get acquainted with the problem of sexual violence.
In the final part of day one, participants discussed the positive developments and future steps in the area of domestic and sexual violence.
High Misdemeanor Court of the Republic of Croatia Judge Branka Žigante Živković opened day two of training with a lecture on “Legal aspects of the protection against domestic and sexual violence, the role of the Istanbul Convention”. By presenting the Istanbul Convention (the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence) and comparing it to Croatian legislation, Judge Žigante Živković explained the positive possibilities and opportunities that would follow Croatia’s ratification of the Convention. Judge Žigante Živković also presented the Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support, and protection of victims of crime as well as the victims’ rights under the Criminal Procedure Act. Attendees proceeded to discuss and seek solutions to some specific cases.
Croatian Association of Social Workers President Štefica Karačić gave a lecture titled “The role and significance of the Rules of Procedure in Cases of Domestic Violence and Rules of Procedure in Cases of Sexual Violence in providing help and support to victims of violence”. Through a presentation of specific cases from practice, Ms. Karačić explained the roles and responsibilities of each actor (state bodies and institutions, NGOs) dealing with the problem of domestic violence and providing victim help and support.
In the final part of day two, participants worked with Branka Žigante Živković on specific cases of domestic and sexual violence.
Specialized training is an integral part of the project “Together we can do more!” implemented by the Women’s Room—Center for Sexual Rights in partnership with the Adela Women’s Center (Sisak), Brod Association (Slavonski Brod), Croatian Association of Social Workers (Zagreb), and Association of Youth and Family Judges and Specialists (Zagreb). The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund and the Croatian Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (www.strukturnifondovi.hr).
