Contributed by: Gabrijela Mihova, Macedonia National VAW Monitor

The Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women–ESE, Jasminka Friscik and the Ministry of Interior, Cena Calovska, had the honor to participate in the international workshop, Enhancing Police Intervention in Domestic Violence Cases in the organization of the Police Training College in Prague, Czech Republic.

The workshop took place from 24-27 October. Representatives of NGOs and the Ministry of the Interior from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Poland and Macedonia participated in the workshop.

The main topic of the workshop was police intervention in domestic violence cases. In regard to police intervention, the following topics were presented and discussed: police officers' attitudes towards domestic violence cases, first contact with the victim, obligations and competences in cases of domestic violence, risk assessment, principles of communication with the victim/responding to calls, interdisciplinary approaches and stalking. Besides the police intervention, the phenomenon and characteristics of domestic violence were elaborated, too.

The workshop was financially supported by Open Society Fund within the East-East Programme.

The following presentation was presented and distributed by Macedonian participants.