Social work specialists from local communities in Chernihiv region are strengthening their capacity to combat domestic violence

On December 9, 2021, the training “Effective mechanism of interaction of subjects in the field of prevention and counteraction to domestic violence at the level of territorial communities” was held in Chernihiv.

The participants in the training were employees of local Centers of Social Services of the Chernihiv region.

The head of programs of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights Nadiya Edieva noted that despite the improvement of legislative regulation, the issue of providing qualified social and other assistance to persons affected by violence remains relevant and not fully resolved, especially at the local level.

Social service centers are special institutions in the chain of subjects for preventing and combating domestic violence, which provide social services to families and individuals who are in difficult life circumstances and need outside help.

Individuals who have suffered from domestic violence or have witnessed it can contact social institutions to receive psychological assistance, social support and information support. The social specialists present spoke about their experience working in this difficult category of cases, about the problems and conflicts they encounter in their work.

The trainer of the event was the national expert and trainer for preventing and combating domestic and gender-based violence

Viktor Valchuk

.

In particular, the expert focused the attention of those present on the practical and legislative aspects of solving the problem, namely: criminalization of domestic and certain types of gender-based violence, expansion of the list of aggravating and mitigating circumstances, introduction of a mechanism of urgent prohibitory and restrictive orders, restrictive measures applied to persons who committed domestic violence, specifics of the work, scope of rights and obligations of social work specialists in cases related to representing the interests of persons affected by domestic violence, etc.

The participants of the training noted that solving the problem of domestic violence in the country requires uniting all relevant entities, analyzing current judicial and administrative practice, and developing effective tools to protect the victim from the very beginning of the criminalization of domestic violence.

The event was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights as part of the project “Strengthening Security – Building Community” with the support of the US Embassy in Ukraine.