Current issues of preventing and combating gender-based violence were discussed in Chernihiv

Today, the situation with preventing and combating manifestations of gender-based violence in Chernihiv region is quite complicated. An important component is the interaction between various responsible entities. After all, it is communication that ensures an effective response to each fact of domestic violence.

Cooperation should have a clear and transparent system of coordination and accountability between entities that carry out measures in the field of preventing and combating domestic violence. The most important thing is to aim to provide victims with effective assistance and a set of necessary services.

That is why, at a round table in Chernihiv, specialists from various state institutions, law enforcement agencies and the public sector gathered to jointly develop practical cooperation mechanisms to improve the situation with responding to cases of all types of violence in the region, including against children.

The event was attended by representatives of the district courts of the city of Chernihiv, the Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, specialized structural units of the Main Police Department in Chernihiv region, the Human Rights Department of the National Police, the Patrol Police Department in Chernihiv region, the Department of Family, Youth and Sports of the Chernihiv Regional Administrative District, an advisor to the Head of the Regional State Administration on gender issues, the Eastern Interregional Center for the Provision of Free Legal Aid, a psychologist and representatives of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights.

Thus, during the event, questions were raised about the need to ensure timely information by police representatives to responsible persons of territorial communities, and vice versa, about all facts of violence in each community and to respond to them.

In addition, they discussed statistics that district courts have on the return of drawn up protocols on bringing to administrative responsibility for finalization by police representatives, since 20% did not meet the requirements of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

They also did not ignore the problem of the lack of mutual information in cases of sexual violence, in particular, conflict-related, especially committed against children, because in practice it is a matter of confidentiality of the pre-trial investigation. It is precisely victims of sexual violence who today have the least information about the possibility of receiving assistance.

Particular attention during the meeting was focused on respecting the best interests of the child, in particular during pre-trial and trial proceedings. After all, according to statistics from the prosecutor’s office, in 2023, 21 criminal proceedings were registered in the region, in which 24 children were in various statuses.

It is to observe the best interests of the child during interrogations, investigative actions or interrogation of children in court that the “Green Room” Methodology should be applied, which can be used by investigators and juvenile police officers to conduct an interview (interrogation/survey) of a child, taking into account their age and psychological characteristics in conditions that minimize and prevent re-traumatization of the child’s psyche. Since today the “Green Rooms” in the Chernihiv region are not yet functioning, since December 2023 the Chernihiv region has been one of the pilot regions for involving psychologists in criminal proceedings involving children. However, there are certain features of the pilot implementation here too.

In addition to discussing the most pressing issues, the event participants developed certain ways to improve the situation in the field of responding to cases of violence in the region:

1. Hold specialized meetings in the Main Police Department in Chernihiv region to inform about the possibility of involving psychologists in the interrogation/surveying of children within the framework of criminal proceedings;

2. Develop a joint memorandum that can be used by police officers and patrol officers to inform victims of violence about the possibility of receiving services

3. Organize training on improving the skills of police representatives on compiling materials for administrative proceedings, in which judges should be involved as trainers;

4. Inform regional courts about programs for offenders in communities and the possibility of applying, in addition to a fine, an obligation to complete such a program to the offender;

5. Inform communities about the existing personal responsibility in the field of preventing and combating domestic violence, including in the event of non-compliance with a court decision.

The project “Protection and support of victims of gender-based violence in wartime conditions in Chernihiv region” is implemented by the NGO “Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights” within the framework of the “Capable and Strong” program, which is implemented with the support of Switzerland.