The Project

• To develop multi-sectoral police reporting procedures
• To challenge existing cognitive attitudes, which hinder reporting of incidents of domestic violence
• To combat the “culture of non-reporting” incidents of domestic violence through the behavioral change of police officers
• To create a targeted reporting form and an e-networking tool, assisting police officers in their duty to report domestic violence against women

The ARIADNE project focuses on the development and the implementation of multi-sectoral police reporting procedures to enhance police’s networking and cooperation, at local, regional as well as national level, in a multi-agent context that is expected to enable all relevant stakeholders (frontline professionals, key state actors, public servants, civil society, gender experts) to effectively collaborate to prevent and respond to domestic violence against women.

The methodological approach followed by the project is multi-disciplinary, given that gender and police experts, representatives of public social services and local authorities and mental health key professionals are co-defining:

• current and specific needs, related to domestic violence against women,
• the methodological framework to be followed as part of the ARIADNE project,
• training activities,
• the pilot implementation of the project.

In other words, the innovative methodological approach of the project’s activities, is based on the fact that for the first time in Greece, police officers are placed at the core of a proactive gender equality effort, trained to support multi-sectoral reporting procedures to respond to women victims of domestic violence through a holistic and integrated way.

Based on the above, the key activities of the project are:

– Development of a multi-sectoral approach on police reporting procedures and supporting mechanisms for women victims of domestic violence

It includes the development of a robust multi-sectoral approach, including targeted police reporting procedures and a relevant form, as well as an Action plan and tools for networking processes with supporting mechanisms / institutions for women victims of domestic violence.

– Capacity building of police officers on multi-sectoral reporting procedures and networking with key stakeholders involved

It includes multi-disciplinary training activities for police officers across the country as well as the creation of an e-networking platform between all involved stakeholders on the issue of domestic violence, to be used by police officers, to support inter-agency cooperation and response in terms of the referral procedure. Key element of the capacity building activities is the implementation of a context based methodology, which can proactively promote behavioural change among the trainees.

– Pilot Implementation and Assessment

It encompasses the pilot implementation of the developed multi-sectoral police reporting procedure at several police stations across the country, including the monitoring of the behavioral effects of police officers’ training, and the assessment of the impact of the developed framework on police reporting of domestic violence incidents.

– Dissemination and Awareness raising

It involves activities to increase networking with all partners involved and exploit the project’ results in the most effective way, channeling them to wide audiences, with a focus on actual / potential women victims, bystanders and witnesses, destabilizing stereotypes and stigma, strengthening police social role and encouraging women victims to report incident and redress.

As far as Greek police and police officers are concerned:

• Informed police officers on gender equality, gender based violence and domestic violence issues, guiding principles and international legal standards to better meet the specific needs of women victims.
• Trained police officers with specialized knowledge on multi-sectoral reporting procedures to prevent and respond to domestic violence against women.
• Trained police officers with specialized knowledge on networking mechanisms, promoting the protection of women, victims of domestic violence.
• Challenged gender attitudes.
• Established culture of empathy between women at risk or actual victims of domestic violence and police officers.
• Strengthened social profile of police authorities, promoting protection and support of women victims of gender based violence.
• Improved quality of police services on a gender equality basis (gender sensitive services).

As far as key stakeholders (professionals, state actors, public services, civil society) are concerned:

• Developed multi-sectoral network to enhance reporting procedures in terms of women victims of domestic violence.
• Developed inter-agency cooperation.
• Understood role and competency of each other; learned availability of different services.
• Built operational capacity, expanded available human resources to respond in a holistic and integrated way to all women victims of gender based violence.
• Built robust referral mechanism on gender-based discrimination and domestic violence issues.
• Developed means and tools for victims’ identification.
• Identified cross country good practices in preventing and responding to gender based domestic violence.

As far as women at risk, victims of domestic violence, potential or actual bystanders of witnesses are concerned:

• Increased information about the pilot police reporting procedure.
• Encouraged to report incidents of domestic violence and redress.
• Increased trust for Greek institutions and especially for the Greek police.
• Improved perceptions as far as police officers are concerned and social role of police.

As far the general public is concerned:

• Increased awareness on gender equality issues.
• Strengthened social dialogue and respect of gender equality.
• Destabilized stereotyping and stigma against women victims of domestic violence.

Overall, the ARIADNE project is expected to produce multipliers on the aforementioned target groups, who are going to promote social dialogue on gender equality and exchange best practices on referral procedures, as well as tools to prevent and respond to domestic violence against women. In this context, the project is expected to have a long-term impact on policy debates and in particular in the design, implementation and evaluation of relevant targeted public policies at national and European level.