Cypriot officers are visiting Glasgow this week to undertake coaching on best-practice within the dealing with of rape and severe sexual assault instances.
A press launch issued by the British Excessive Fee in Nicosia mentioned that this week, coinciding with Worldwide Girls’s Day on eighth March, the UK Authorities is supporting the go to of Cypriot authorities to Glasgow to undertake coaching on best-practice within the dealing with of rape and severe sexual assault instances. The visiting Cypriot officers are at present conducting a feasibility research into the creation of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Cyprus.
Officers from the Cypriot Police, Legislation Workplace, Ministry of Well being, Social Welfare Companies and the State Healthcare Companies Organisation will go to the Glasgow & Clyde Rape Disaster Centre (GCRCC) to tour their amenities and to debate with the Centre’s specialists their growth of survivor-centred emotional and therapeutic help for victims of rape and severe sexual assault.
In keeping with the press launch, the delegation can even meet with Police Scotland, the Crown Workplace and Procurator Fiscal Service (the Scottish prosecution service) and go to the Glasgow Excessive Courtroom to see their remote-evidence facility for witnesses who don’t want to testify in individual.
The go to to Scotland is a part of a programme of partnership between the UK and Cyprus on victim-handling and help. In October final 12 months, specialists from the GCRCC delivered a coaching workshop in Nicosia for native authorities which focussed on communication expertise wanted in coping with victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault.
Established in 1976, the GCRC was the primary Rape Disaster Centre in Scotland and stays the longest operational Rape Disaster Centre within the UK, supporting 1,700 girls and ladies yearly. The GCRCC, by way of the Overseas, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace, additionally works with UK nationals who expertise rape overseas, in addition to coaching UK consular workers in supporting victims and their households.
British Excessive Commissioner, Stephen Lillie, mentioned that “it is a actually vital collaboration between the UK and Cyprus, in an space of important significance to individuals in each nations. The UK has been a pioneer in creating sexual assault referral centres as a part of our efforts to help victims extra successfully. The Glasgow centre is recognised as a mannequin of worldwide greatest observe. I’m positive that this go to shall be of nice worth as Cyprus works to develop its personal help for victims of rape and sexual assault”.
Dr Olga Kalakouta, Chief Well being Officer on the Ministry of Well being of Cyprus, famous that “instances of rape and sexual assault require delicate dealing with and we’re within the strategy of creating victim-centred approaches, with helpful assist from our mates within the UK. We stay up for exchanging information and experiences with our British colleagues to enhance how survivors of such hideous crimes are handled pretty and empathetically inside the Cypriot system.”
Glasgow & Clyde Rape Disaster Director, Claudia Macdonald, mentioned that “sharing data and expertise is vital in creating approaches that put survivors on the coronary heart of providers, particularly these as advanced because the legal justice system. Extra vital although is the tradition through which these providers are delivered inside.”
“That’s the place individuals’s understanding of trauma and its impression on survivors should be as superior and as empathetic as doable to actually put survivors wants first in any service, at house and internationally. Due to this fact, we proceed to share our studying and expertise with worldwide colleagues and welcome discussions like we’re having this week,” she added.
(CNA)