Enhancing police response to domestic violence is the aim of a one-week workshop which ends today (Friday) in Port Vila.
Facilitated by the Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC), the workshop brought police commanders and officers in Port Vila, Epi and Tongoa under the Police Southern Command together to equip them to effectively deal with domestic violence cases.
VWC has been organizing such workshops with police officers before but this is the first time for the centre to engage Commanders of Police Departments.
Deliberations begin with the introduction of gender to the different types of domestic violence-physical and sexual, how police respond using the Family Protection Law and human rights topics of concerns to police.
The Deputy Commander South, Krem Bihu, said the workshop has helped them to better understand their role in policing domestic violence.
“We (commanders) delegate tasks to our officers at work. This workshop has enabled us to understand how our officers perform.
“We have learnt a lot on how to tackle domestic violence better from the workshop”.
The participants of the workshop will be receiving certificates of participation at the end of the workshop today.
VWC will facilitate a similar workshop in Santo after Port Vila.
SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST