Led by Beatrice Cremers and Bo Speich from Slachtofferhulp & Benedikt Wemmer from Weisser Ring

This two-part interactive workshop is dedicated to young people. We will not only explore the importance of young people as employees in organizations, but also examine how victim organizations can better meet the needs of young victims.

PART 1: Young people in organizations

Young employees bring unique perspectives, new knowledge, energy, creativity, and leadership potential. In this part of the workshop, we will discuss the desires of young people in organizations, how the knowledge of young employees adds value, and how it can be utilized to improve service delivery.

PART 2: Reaching and supporting young clients more effectively

The second part of the workshop focuses on how an organization can better connect with young victims. We want to encourage you to empathize with the world of young people. What do young people go through? What influences their decision to seek help or not? In this workshop, we want to invite you to think about how we can better reach and assist young victims.

We will break into smaller groups for this part, with interactive work assignments, and then come together to discuss.

The goal of the workshop is to learn from each other and exchange knowledge. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, exchange tips and ideas, and reflect on ways to better utilize young people in our organizations and improve our ability to reach and help young clients.

Led by Céline Sturm, WEISSER RING e.V.

WEISSER RING has spent decades helping people to stand up for their beliefs and wants to motivate people to take the courage they have in real life online. Because when people take responsibility, look more closely and help, it can successfully create a climate of safety and trust. This is especially true in the digital world, where users frequently encounter hate speech and threatening behaviour. Many people know how it should go in theory. But what happens in reality? Does doing the right thing always pay off?

The aim of this workshop is to give attendees the knowledge they need to actively take a stand against hate crime. The workshop will cover:

• how hate crime is expressed,
• what you can do if you encounter hate speech online,
• which authorities you can contact in Germany,
• and how you can effectively oppose these instances.

Attendees’ questions and needs will be addressed through a tried-and-tested combination of theory, real-life experiences, and interactive discussion so that they can apply the takeaways from this workshop in their practical work, be informed about the topic, and learn how others deal with this important issue. We would be delighted to have you attend our workshop.

Led by Mafalda Valério and Carla Ferreira, APAV (Portuguese Association for Victim Support).

PART 1: Integrated Intervention Strategy for Gender-Based Violence

The prevalence of gender-based violence as well as its impact and negative consequences provide a global health issue and the continued need for targeted intervention strategies is evident. Furthermore, risk factors such as intersectionality or re-victimization, highlight the need for interventions based on the individual context and characteristics of each victim.

We acknowledge and further promote the idea that intervention strategies for gender-based violence are required to include multi-disciplinary support to successfully address all the needs and risks a victim is confronted with. Therefore, the intervention strategy´s distinction between intervention in crisis (emotional help, development of active adaptation strategies, restoring functionality) and urgent intervention (time-sensitive need for support and protection resulting in dialogue with local authorities) is extremely relevant. We, as a victim support organization, recognize our role in providing an integrated intervention in order to give individually tailored and efficient support, and to act as a protector.

In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn how APAV approaches the challenges mentioned above, by implementing their integrated intervention strategy based on individual needs and risk assessment, to guide intervention and different types of necessary and integrated support.

PART 2: Sexual Violence: Prevention and Intervention for Children and Youths

There continues to be an urgent need for practical investigation, prevention, and intervention targeting children and young victims of sexual violence, since children are in a particularly vulnerable position of risk and negative consequences are impactful and long-lasting; therefore, prevention is especially relevant. We are convinced that prevention strategies for children and youths are all about establishing and training protection factors that allow them to realistically assess possible dangers or risks, to make use of competencies and skills developed to avoid such situations, but also to be more sensitive and empathic towards victims.

In this sense, we as a victim support organization acknowledge our responsibility to act as an educator, promotor of support, protection and guidance, not only for children but also their families, professionals, and their community and peers. Furthermore, we take responsibility to provide intervention measures in case of victimization.

In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn how APAV approaches the challenges mentioned above, through prevention and intervention strategies aimed at children and youths. A special emphasis is given to prevention and sensitization from an early age, as well as the acquisition of knowledge and competencies through interactive teaching and training methods.

Led by Victim Support Europe.

This workshop focuses on good practices as well as on policy work in the field of victim support and restorative justice. Thanks to the work done within the two-year Erasmus+ funded project “PROTECT”, partners from Italy, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Portugal took part in a series of training to exchange good practices on restorative justice and to further promote victims’ rights. The project served also as a platform for Victim Support Europe (VSE) and the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) reflect together about the upcoming revision of the EU Victims’ Rights Directive (VRD) and influence policy work at the European level. 

The workshop will start with a brief presentation on the current European framework for victims’ access to restorative justice. This discussion will touch upon the current challenges (including training, practice standards, lack of cooperation between services, the fact that in some jurisdictions restorative justice may be offender-focused/initiated), opportunities (to respond to victims’ needs to be heard and to repair) and the common position of EFRJ and VSE on restorative justice in light of the VRD revision. The workshop will give space to project partners to share good practices that can better support victims’ needs, as well as to reflect on the implementation of European and national legislation and their impact in terms to access to (restorative) justice for victims. Frontal presentations will be sparkled with different interactive exercises to engage with participants. 

Led by Robin Fontijne an Eva Fechner, Slachtofferhulp.

Several protective measures can be discovered both in the EU’s Directive minimum standards for victims, and in the European Convention on Human Rights. In this workshop, we will provide an overview of various protective measures and discuss how they can protect victims. We will dive into individual needs assessment, privacy for victims, positive state obligations and protective measures against repeated and secondary victimization.

The workshop will also go into the use of protective measures in practice. How do Victim Support Netherlands (VSN) employees request protective measures for victims? How does the Knowledge, Research and Development department of VSN support these employees? Where are the bottlenecks in the protection of victims and how should they be dealt with?

Led by Kate Wallace, Victim Support Scotland

For many, giving evidence in a criminal trial can be more traumatic than the crime itself.  We know the victims and witnesses find court building intimidating places and often they are not designed with victims’ needs in mind. At Victim Support Scotland we offer people affected by crime, in-person court familiarisation visits to prepare them for this unique experience. This early exposure to the court together with our support can help to reduce traumatisation/ re-traumatisation and encourage confidence. However, in person visits are not always possible due to travel time, court and witness availability and a number of other factors and even when they do happen it is usual for only one visit which may not be enough for a person who is highly traumatised.

To address this challenge we have worked with the Scottish Government and Sentireal (a Virtual Reality content creator) to design and develop a unique virtual reality (VR) court familiarisation visit solution.  This solution allows victims and witnesses to experience the court environment, learn about court processes, and interact with court and prosecution personnel using a Virtual Reality headset from a location outside the court. As well as being used in a trauma-informed setting, this technology allows for multiple visits if needed which can be really helpful for some victims and witnesses.  Using this technology will help to improve people affected by crimes experience of the criminal justice system, and ultimately support them to feel more empowered to find the strength to give their best evidence.

Led by Dr Pam Alldred, Professor at the Nottingham Trent University & gigi guizzo, Development Manager at Rinova Málaga.

Dr Pam Alldred, Professor at the Nottingham Trent University and gigi guizzo, Development Manager at Rinova Málaga, will present a number of resources from past and present projects.

This workshop-presentation introduces practical material developed in EU projects across different countries and available for free in 10 languages (EN, SP, FR, GR, RO, IT, EK, CA, DE, GR). It offers information on how to create mechanisms, and design and implement training to better detect and support victims of racism and/or Gender-Related Violence (GRV). The resources promote appropriate referral (be supportive but know your limits and seek professional help, create local support networks), and give practical tips on how to design and implement inclusive training with an intersectional perspective.

Specific examples will show how to use the resources with different front line workers, including youth work practitioners, public or civic support services, medical staff, police, university staff etc.

Some resources that will be presented include:

• #USVreact Universities Supporting Victims of Sexual Violence (includes: Developing an Intersectional Approach to Training on Sexual Harassment, Violence and Hate Crimes)
• Hate Interruptor Teams: Young people combat hate speech and behaviour against migrants
• BASE – counteract GBV against women and girls who have migrated
• #GAPworkproject – Improving gender-related violence intervention and referral through youth practitioner training

The workshop will introduce the term Gender Related Violence (GRV) as LGBTQI+ inclusive, and illustrate with examples that training tackling GRV must be designed with an intersectional perspective. This will open up space to make visible underlying power structures specific to each training group, and help trainers to remain adaptable to ever changing circumstance and situations, to each training group’s different personal and professional experiences.

Led by Christina Woudhuizen, Slachtofferhulp.

Who is or is not a ‘victim’? Which organisation is responsible for which victims and who has what to offer? What expertise and support is needed with particular victim groups?  What considerations should we make when a specific group of affected people presents with a need for support? When is our service of added value to them?

Victim Support Netherlands is familiar with several projects and pilots around victim groups that do not fall directly within the organisations’ target group policy. Think of whistleblowers, athletes who’ve been violated by their trainers, survivors of fatal workplace accidents and victims of the Dutch childcare allowance affair.

In addition, Victim Support Netherlands focuses on bystanders, people who are close to the victims and want to help, and professionals.

How do we reach and support all these people?

In this workshop, we will give an introduction to the Dutch target group policy and the (project-based) services provided to some special target groups. We also will discuss dilemmas, an assessment framework, and preconditions for victim support services.

Led by Victim Support Sweden (as coordinator of the COVIS project consortium).

Victim Support Sweden, with five of our partner organisations, leads the COVIS project – Court based support services for victims and witnesses of crime. The project aims to build knowledge and provide the tools needed to establish and deliver quality court based support services for victims and witnesses of crime, to meet the needs and rights of all victims/witnesses participating in criminal proceedings. By capturing expertise from across Europe and sharing best practice on how to deliver court based support, the project serves to:

1. Promote the rights of all victims of crime
2. Improve application of victims´ rights and victims´ ability to access their rights in practice
3. Better meet the needs of all victims and witnesses called to give evidence in a criminal trial, minimising the risk of secondary victimisation and empowering the victim/witness to overcome the negative consequence of crime
4. Contribute to a safe environment in court, strengthening victims´ and witnesses´ ability to provide their best possible evidence, and thereby supporting the effective and fair administration of criminal justice
5. Support the effective and coherent application of EU law in the area of the rights of victims of crime, in line with the EU strategy on victims´ rights (2020-2025)

Court based support has so far been a peripheral support method amid VSE events and members. In our side event, we would therefore like to emphasise the role and value of court based support services and the ways in which court based support can help victims access safe justice. The session will include a panel discussion, identifying the various ways in which court based support is organised across different EU countries. Key features of court based support will be highlighted and how countries have chosen to organise support in court to help ensure that victims/witnesses are able to give their best possible evidence. The session will also specifically highlight the role of witnesses, since they often play a key role in victims´ ability to reach justice, despite having few rights of their own. Finally, court based support services do not function in isolation – they are dependent on well-functioning partnerships and cooperation with criminal justice partners. Given the topic and target group of the conference, we therefore suggest that our side event also has a key focus on how to develop partnerships with criminal justice agencies and which practical working arrangements help to deliver the best possible support service in practice.

Led by Wim Van de Voorde (coordinator of Helpline 1712), Lily de Clercq (Staff Member VLOCO [1]) and Mieke Van Durme, Guy Vandervurst (CAW Oost-Vlaanderen) 

The focus of this workshop is on victims of violence and abuse, including victims of gender-based violence, vulnerable groups and those involved in violence and abuse. The workshop will be interactive using infographics, Q&A, simulations, statements, … to stimulate the audience to broaden its perspective on victim support using helplines and the support services of the Centres for General Welfare Work.

Workshop’s objectives

• Participants understand how helpline 1712 works as part of an aid continuum
• Participants understand how VLOCO works as a support line for professionals as part of an aid continuum
• Participants understand how helplines use their partnership with the underlying support services of the Centers for General Welfare Work, to ensure the right to support or victims of violence and abuse.
• Participants understand the view and approach of an aid continuum regarding domestic and other forms of violence.
• Participants get a first introduction to the relational, couple-oriented and persisting approach of couples in case of (situational) partner violence.
• Participants provide input on the extent to which the aid continuum and the approach differ or have similarities in other European countries

Introduction to organisers

1712 is a Flemish helpline for everyone with a question about violence, abuse and child abuse. The helpline is one of the largest professional helplines and one of the most accessible support initiatives in Flanders (Belgium). 1712 is a cooperation between the Centres for General Welfare Work and the Vertrouwenscentra Kindermishandeling or Trust Centres for Child Abuse.

VLOCO is a Flemish support line and centre of expertise for professionals who need information and advise about a specific situation of elder abuse. Professionals can consult VLOCO for free and anonymously on any situation or suspect of abuse of older people. Collaborating with other organisations, such as the helpline 1712 and the Centres for General Welfare is very important. VLOCO also supports professionals by developing tools and organizing workshops to enhance their expertise.

General welfare centres help people with all their questions and problems related to welfare, including questions and problems related to violence. Couples and individuals faced with domestic violence can rely upon several support services offered by the Centers for General Welfare, ranging from voluntary help to more far-reaching and high-impact services.

[1] Vlaams Ondersteuningscentrum Ouderenmis(be)handeling = Flemish support centre for elderly abuse