Daniël Bollen & Dries Wyckmans

1. Project coordinators Belgian- European project ‘An inter- and multidisciplinary approach of tackling domestic violence’ Daniël Bollen & Dries Wyckmans Picture

2. Domestic ViolenceTackled in Partnership A comprehensive regional approach in the Province of Limburg

3. Province of Limburg Texte • Limburg = • Belgian Province • in Flanders • between Antwerp, Liège and Maastricht • 820.000 inhabitants • capital = Hasselt

4. Immediate cause for the project Increase of offences of domestic violence Serious incidents and family tragedies 14% of police reports = domestic violence

5. Provincial project domestic violence Set up end of 2004 Priority on the agenda Police, justice and assistance Way of acting more effective and efficient In a preventive, curativeand repressive manner

6. Partnership Between police, justice and assistance -> Sectors that normally don’t work so closely together !

7. Partnership Written scenario: simple and transparent working process a standard record form a referring form

8. Standard record form

9. Referring form

10. A solution without violence Police (is trained to) call in assistance fast Need for sufficient accommodation facilities Project ‘Relief points domestic violence’-> September 2006

11. Relief points domestic violence For individuals and couples confronted with partner violence Relief point = approaching assistance techniques demand, information and advice immediate psychosocial (crisis) assistance -> time-out method referred to further counselling or therapy

12. Relief points domestic violence Relief in different steps: police intervenes police faxes a referring form signed by the persons involved social workers contact them within 5 working days and invite them police is informed afterwards, and sends complete record to public prosecutor

13. Partnership: schematic presentation serious assault or children in danger criminal offence or family quarrel proposal counselling couple doesn’t agree couple agrees broken off

14. Justice Prosecution policy aimed at an alternative settlement Guide the partners to a solution without violence When unsuccessful or when problems are too serious, prosecution is considered

15. Results & evaluation relief points Anually +/- 1200 clients referred to relief points: couples: 54 % ex-couples: 27 % individuals: 19 %

16. Results & evaluation relief points Reported types of violence: combination physical - psychological violence: 49 % psychological violence / threats: 8 % physical violence: 6 % non-compliance with the right of acces: 5 % stalking: 3 % sexual violence: 1 % domestic quarrel: 1 % elder abuse: 1 % unknown: 26 %

17. Results & evaluation relief points Of the +/- 1200 clients that are referred: 57 % complies with assistance 43 % doesn’t comply with assistance (refusal, language problem, …)

18. Results & evaluation relief points Of the 57 % that complied with assistance: 41 % was assisted with oriented referring 14 % was assisted -> completed or ungoing 32 % has started the assistance but has pulled out 13 % wasn’t reached or still had to be contacted

19. Prevention & sensitization 9 target groups:

20. Prevention program: example Target group ‘pregnancy & young parenthood’: 3 to 8 % = victim during pregnancy brochure with practical advice for young parents concrete handles for health professionals: referral slip and training

21. Prevention program: example Target group ‘separating couples’: fight the number of ugly divorces promotion of mediation practical guide on the subtleties of the elaboration of a conflict avoiding residence and visiting arrangement

22. Major strenghts of the Limburg approach Domestic violence is taken very seriously A far-reaching intersectoral collaboration A lot more police reports (+ 300 % in comparison with 2000): mostly due to sensitization of police officers & victims Emphasis on a curative approach & prevention Less escalation, less recidivism

23. Needs for improvement Long-term and intensive case management of the family system More cooperation with mental healthcare (personality disorders) Approaching migrants (preventive, curative) Prevention of intergenerational transmission Legislation: temporary barring order?

24. European project European Commission: action grant ‘Prevention of and fight against crime 2009’: goal = development of European scenario and training programme, according to the optimization of the inter- and multidisciplinary approach of domestic violence in different European Member States European training seminar in September 2012

25. European project Development entry plan, scenario, website and training programme through: scientific research and evaluation exchange of work experiences and best practices with international project partners -> Hungary, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden

26. European project Development innovative working methods: prevention program for young people -> relationship knowledge and skills (based on Canadian ‘Fourth R program’) optimization of relief points domestic violence within general welfare perpetrator therapy

27. Conclusion An inter- an multidisciplinary approach on a regional level can be most effective in tackling domestic violence!

28. Please do contact us for more information! limburg.be/domesticviolence domesticviolence@limburg.be Daniël BollenT: 0032 11 30 57 43 Dries WyckmansT: 0032 11 23 80 46