Victim Support Requires Networking – Round Table against Violence
Round tables are meetings where representatives from different interest groups (e.g. authorities, institutions, associations or parties, but also those affected) discuss a matter together on an equal footing.
Local and regional cooperative efforts against violence towards women in North Rhine-Westphalia
Women affected by violence can be helped faster and more effectively when the existing support services in their area are closely networked.
Gaps in the support network can be better filled and services and measures developed in a targeted manner through the regular exchange of information and cooperation between all involved parties (such as the police, women’s and specialist advice centres, women’s refuges, local equal opportunities commissioners, youth welfare and social offices as well as family advice centres). The aim is to harmonise police, criminal law, civil law and social measures and to develop an effective approach in terms of interdependent support and intervention chains.
For this reason, the Ministry for Equality of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia finances project work done by round tables each year as well as other cooperative formats such as working groups, criminal prevention councils and local and regional cooperative efforts against violence directed at women.
The North Rhine-Westphalia Round Table against Female Genital Mutilation
The North Rhine-Westphalia Round Table against Female Genital Mutilation brings actors from different social fields together. Its efforts are focused on mutual networking and exchanging information and experience for the purpose of protecting those affected by genital mutilation and girls and women potentially threatened with it in North Rhine-Westphalia.