Report The Conference 11.06.2013 A conference summarizing project Transnational Cooperation Against Violence was held in June 2013 in Karpacz. The conference was attended by participants of the project (from Poland, Italy and Portugal) and invited guests. The conference was attended by 60 participants. Among the invited guests were representatives of regional and local authorities, the Regional Coordinator of the National Programme for the Prevention of Violence, Polish judges (Family Court and Juvenile Wałbrzych), representatives of NGOs, social workers, representatives of the judiciary and judicial professionals, and others. REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS
The Conference was opened by Chairman of the "Merkury" Foundation Waldemar Weihs and invited to the conference Anna Lechowska (Chairman of the NGO "Szansa"). Wademar Weihs welcomed all the participants and invited guests. He presented the project coordinators and representatives of the Polish, Italian and Portuguese. GREETING AND OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE MRS. ANNA LECHOWSKA I MR. WALDEMAR WEIHS
Polish coordinator of the project katarzyna Milanowska-Piątek prepared and presented a multimedia presentation about the assumptions, objectives and implementation of the project. PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT MRS. KATARZYNA MILANOWSKA-PIĄTEK
PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT
Among the invited guests was the Ombudsman for Children Marek Michalak and the Deputy Marshal Radosław Mołoń. Unfortunately, because of the many business commitments they could not participate in the Conference. Both representatives of the authorities took the honorary patronage of our conference. One of the elements of the Conference was a lecture on Family assistant in the Polish social welfare system". The lecture delivered by the deputy director of the Social Welfare Centre in Walbrzych Krzysztof Czaja. During the conference, participants presented the results of the project work. As first presented by Polish experts. They presented a system to prevent domestic violence on the example of a specific family.
PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF WORK OF THE POLISH TEAM OF EXPERTS
A PRESENTATION OF THE POLISH TEAM OF EXPERTS
Then the results of their work presented Portuguese participants. They presented problem of violence in the historical context in their country. They also presented national programs and plans to the fight against violence, campaigns against violence and programs for victims and perpetrators of violence. PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF WORK OF PORTUGUESE TEAM OF EXPERTS
A PRESENTATION OF THE PORTUGUESE TEAM OF EXPERTS
After the Portuguese group work results presented Italians participants. Italian experts presented several original programs to fight against violence. In this report, we present only a few of them. PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF WORK OF THE ITALIAN TEAM OF EXPERTS
A PRESENTATION OF THE ITALIAN TEAM OF EXPERTS
During the conference, participants were invited to work in a group to jointly develop recommendations. Participants were divided into national groups. Each group had an animator. The results of the work were presented at the conference by each group. WORKSHOPS IN 3 NATIONAL GROUPS: POLISH, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE
PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF WORK AT THE WORKSHOPS
Based on the work of the three groups created document - recommendations. The effect of the work of experts is presented below: Recommendations for changes in the area of violence prevention A group of Polish experts: Strengthening prevention activities mainly towards children and young people (building an assertive posture as early as possible), Expanding and strengthening the area of social campaigns, the introduction of local social campaigns responding to the problems of local communities, Strengthening the local activities related to the prevention of domestic violence (tasks for local authorities), Strengthening the global activities (Ministry, the Ombudsman for Children) - the area and intensity, Introduction of mandatory supervision for people working in the field of violence prevention (especially for people working with victims and perpetrators of violence), Introduction of mandatory training for professionals and persons assisting victims and perpetrators of violence, along with providing of financial resources for such training, Decentralization of assistance (development services of centres for psychological - educational, which will be coming out with the help of the school on issues related to the phenomenon of violence and the prevention of this phenomenon), Changes in the provisions of the Act concerning the operation and composition of interdisciplinary teams (mandatory inclusion in the interdisciplinary teams the probation officers or other representatives of the judiciary).
Portuguese group of experts: Introduction of compulsory give evidence by victims of violence at every stage of the process (this will allow for greater prosecution of perpetrators of violence), The use of imprisonment in cases where the perpetrator of violence again commit domestic violence (recidivists), Strengthening activities incurred in raising awareness society about the laws relating to the existence and use of violence (especially in the family), Introduction of specialized staff (with specific tasks / work specific) in the field of preventing violence, Strengthening action to support and encourage women to reporting of incidences of violence (minimizing fear in victims from the consequences of notification of violence), Intensity of activities related to obtaining citizen attitudes assistance to victims of violence and cooperation with institutions and aid services, Strengthening cooperation between victims of violence and all others providing assistance, Timely exchange of information between employees providing assistance on the situation of victims of violence (information from the area / practice), Facilitating all interested access to information on how to help the victims and perpetrators of violence (reducing the need to fill application forms, registration for assistance, updating information on the possibility of receiving aid), Implementation of local activities / initiatives, Preparation of the document - a set of good practices (in the area of preventing and eliminating the effects of violence), Introduction of authentic (corresponding to the development of the phenomenon) educational programs on preventing and combating violence, Strengthening activities for the kids (awareness of rights and obligations),
Introduction of systematic social campaigns, especially in the "hot periods" associated with the intensity of the violence. A group of Italian experts: Strengthening cooperation between anti-violence project implementers and recipients of these projects, Strengthening involvement and participation of young people (for example, when designing and implementing social campaigns), Intensive cooperation of people from different areas of violence prevention (exchanges, sharing of ideas), Strengthening activities aimed at increasing the involvement of victims of domestic violence to take appropriate activities (for example, initiating meetings of women in a safe and neutral ground, where the women would have a chance to create their own tools for action), Paying particular attention (in the implemented activities) to the phenomenon of the killing of women (as a serious result of violence), Paying more attention to the problem of witnesses of violence, which may increase the effectiveness of activities related to the prevention of violence, Paying attention to the language of the media associated with the phenomenon of violence (revolution language, nomenclature, not underestimating the problem and not trivializing it through the selection of inappropriate words and phrases).
Chairman of the Merkury Foundation Waldemar Weihs ended the conference, thanked everyone for their participation and invited to participate in further actions in the fight against violence. SUMMARY OF THE CONFERENCE