Training strengthens criminal justice responses to violence against women and girls in Montenegro

From 12 to 16 June 2023, gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls (VAWG) was the focus of a national specialized training course in Bar. The training was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) in co-ordination with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

A total of 23 police officers and prosecutors (11 women and 12 men) from the municipalities of Montenegro developed their skills in effectively responding to cases of VAWG, while maintaining a victim-/survivor-centred approach. The five-day course covered topics such as causes and cycles of violence, violence prevention, harmful biases, attitudes and stereotypes, risk assessment, victim/survivor protection protocols, referral mechanisms, and inter-agency co-operation.

The training course was delivered by national experts, who benefited from the Regional Train-the-Trainers Course on Gender-responsive Policing of VAWG, organized by TNTD last year in Warsaw, Poland.

“This training is an important milestone in the fight against gender-based violence in Montenegro, as it complements the OSCE’s ongoing efforts in combatting this crime at the national level and beyond,” said Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

Bjorn Tore Saltvik, manager of the project, underlined that “the initial responses provided by law enforcement institutions to victims of gender-based violence crimes are crucial for the safety of the victims themselves, as well as for the successful investigation and prosecution of such crimes. These responses should be victim-centered, meaning they should prioritize the well-being, support, and rights of the victims throughout the entire process. In doing so, law enforcement institutions can better address the needs of survivors and facilitate a more effective pursuit of justice”.

As part of their continued support of criminal justice practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in their fight against VAWG, TNTD will deliver similar training courses to law enforcement in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia throughout 2023, in addition to the one already delivered in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These activities will contribute to the full implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in the countries covered by the project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe.