2017-09-27

Mission in Italy and Lithuania to tackle domestic violence accomplishes its objective

Mission in Italy and Lithuania to tackle domestic violence accomplishes its objective

This mission, whose international phase will end on September 26th (the last stage is in Lisbon) is part of the project approved within the Sector Dialogues Support Facility – European Union – Brazil, dialogue on "Human Rights", resulting from high-level political dialogues. The focus is bringing justice to women, especially regarding domestic violence crimes.

The mission is coordinated by Valter Shuenquener, counsellor of the CNMP and coordinator of the National Justice and Public Security Strategy (ENASP), together with authorities from the Brazilian Federal Government, the Brazilian National Council of Public Prosecution (CNMP), among other authorities.

From September 18 to 21, the Brazilian delegation visited in Rome (Italy) the Italian Superior Council of Magistrates (CSM) to present the CNMP and ENASP projects related to domestic violence. Among the participants in Rome, there were the counselor of the CNMP and coordinator of the National Justice and Public Security Strategy (ENASP), Valter Shuenquener; Maurício Andreiuolo, auxiliary member of ENASP; Paulo Gustavo Medeiros, Brazilian Advocate-General Deputy; Heverton Aguiar, Public Prosecutor of the State of Rondônia State and collaborating member of ENASP; Lúcia Iloizio Barros, Public Prosecuter (MP/RJ) and Wilfredo Pacheco, public servant of the CNMP and advisor at ENASP. All members were welcomed by the chairman of the Sixth Committee of the Superior Council, counselor Ercole Aprile, who presented the work of the Italian judiciary in the area of gender-based violence.

It was also present, at the meeting, the President of the Italian Coordination of the European Women's Lobby (EWL), Maria Ludovica Bottarelli Tranquillli Leali, who accompanied the Brazilian delegation in visiting Italian institutions that work with tackling violence against women.

During the meeting with the lawyer and coordinator of the European Women’s Lobby Observatory on Violence against Women in Italy, Suisi Casaccia, the Brazilian delegation became acquainted with the data collection procedure designed by the entity, and also the difficulties in processing the processes that investigate this kind of crime, such as the lack of a specific law and the delay in the processing of cases.

Another remarkable moment was the exchange of experiences between Brazilians and Italians during the meeting in the Italian Municipal Center of Violence against Women "Donatella Colasanti - Rosaria Lopez". Its representatives, Lucia Beretta and Roberta Biondi, presented the work developed in partnership with social entities related to protection of women in vulnerable situations. Shuenquener spoke about the practices and experiences on coping with gender violence in Brazil: “Brazilian experience shows that the protection of victims of domestic violence and the agility of justice to respond are essential for the effectiveness of laws to combat violence against woman", he said.

Sharing experiences - In the Chigi Palace, Shuenquener shared knowledge on how Brazil collects information and statistical data on gender violence with the General Secretary of the Presidency of the Italian Ministers Council, Paolo Aquilanti, who presented the Italian database of domestic violence and how the observatory works.  He also spoke about the challenges in obtaining data from the Secretaries of Justice, especially in the countryside of Italy. On the other hand, the importance of the Brazilian National Register of Domestic and Family Violence (CNVD) was presented as life-saving mechanism. As Shurenquener explained, "the conclusions obtained through the CNVD data justify a greater protection for women in vulnerability and identifies preventive aspects in public policies for women”.

Afterwards, the Brazilian delegation visited the National Forensic Council of Italy. Its Vice-President, Giuseppe Picchioni, explained how lawyers act in cases of domestic violence and how the Italian judiciary is organized to address the issue. The National Forensic Council is the Italian body equivalent to the Brazilian Federal Council of the Bar Association.

In Lithuania – Before the mission in Rome, between September 13 and 17, the mission took place in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, where the Brazilian delegation visited the Gender Equality Division of the Ministry of Social Assistance and presented to Aurelija Mineikaite, head specialist, and Margarita Sniutyte-Daugeliene, the Attorney-General of Lithuania, the national programs to tackle domestic violence carried out by ENESP, such as the implementation of the National Register of Domestic and Family Violence. According to Shuenquener, “the National Register of Domestic and Family Violence is an important tool to identify the circumstances that involve the practice of crimes against women, because it allows a better targeting of comprehensive protection programs, as well as providing researchers with unpublished data on the subject", he explained.

The delegation also visited the Vilnius City Hall, where they met the director of the Social Affairs Department, Jonas Bartlingas. The Department finances projects of non-governmental organizations for the protection of domestic violence victims, which includes shelter and monitoring of both the victims and their aggressors. Representatives of civil society were also present at the occasion.

The Brazilian delegation also met with representatives of the Lithuanian Police Department, who highlighted the efficiency of the body's work in addressing violence against women and the active monitoring of women in situations of domestic vulnerability through electronic devices and community patrolling.

The Brazilian delegation organized the meetings in partnership with the Lithuanian NGO Moteru Informacijos Centras (Women’s Issues Information Centre), whose mission is to help and provide legal support to victims of domestic violence in the capital of Lithuania. The lawyer of the organization's legal service, Rugile Butkeviciute, presented the organization's work plan which includes not only offering shelter, but also proposing legal suits for victims and drawing up statistical reports.

Shuenquener, in turn, spoke about the partnership that allowed more agility to domestic violence investigations. "These results were achieved through a joint effort between Enasp managers and the essential support of Copevid / CNPG members, which resulted in faster processing of domestic violence between 2015 and 2016," said Shuenquener.

 

Source: CNMP

 

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