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Description
Through training events carried out in four major regions of Estonia, specialists in contact with victims of domestic violence at first level are aware of the causes, consequences, and possibilities of assistance, and more effective cooperation between agencies has helped to reduce domestic violence in Estonian society.
A total of 200 specialists of various agencies who come into contact with the victim on the first level and who are key persons in the daily work of their agency and in planning the follow-up activities will be trained.
The training materials prepared in the project discuss domestic violence very extensively and, in addition to the key elements, addiction problems, violence against the elderly and cyber violence, remote counselling, and co-operation mechanisms have been introduced as new topics. In addition to the specifics of domestic violence, specialists are also trained to work as joint regional teams.
In addition to specialists from support centres and local governments, as well as victim support staff, the project will involve partners who have not been involved so far, such as family physicians and nurses, and court representatives.
Summary of project results
Project was sucessful and reached its objectives to train specialists in different regions of Estonia in contact with victims of domestic violence at first level, raising their awareness of the causes, consequences, and possibilities of assistance, and more effective cooperation between agencies. Altogether 14 traininngs were carried out with one 32h in-depth training for networking partners in Rakvere. Among 23 specialists who finished the course there were nurses, social workers, probation officers, police officers, teachers, social pedagogue, local government official, gender-based violence specialist, child protection worker, procecutor office specialist.
Altogether, there were 385 participants in different trainings (NB! some specialists attended multiple trainings). 10% of the attendees were men. Trainings took place also in Tallinn, Rapla, Narva, Haapsalu and Pärnu.
The key topics covered were:
- the nature and different types of gender-based violence;
- factors favouring gender-based violence;
- gender-based violence and children;
- violence against the elderly;
- substance abuse and gender-based violence;
- violence in cyber space;
- options of offering and receiving help;
- remote counselling;
- efficient cooperation between state institutions.
Summary of bilateral results
Ms Kristín I. Pálsdóttir and Ms Þórunn Sif Böðvarsdóttir (The Root – Association for Women’s Welfare, Island) helped to compile a training "Substance abuse and gender-based violence" and trained 63 people from police, procecutor''s office, women shelters, victim support, local government social work, health care. The training included also practical exercises (i.e. for stress relief). The cooperation can be evaluated as success.