Parents Together – The Parental Role in the Prevention of Domestic Violence
In 2004 an inter- and multidisciplinary cooperative was started up in the province of Limburg between the police, justice and assistance services about domestic violence. Since 2006 domestic violence is treated in a uniform manner, with a very good result. Victims, perpetrators and (ex-) couples are being referred to assistance services much faster, which leads to fewer escalation and recurrence.
In order to give young parents a head start, the campaign ‘PREGNANT TOGETHER, PARENTS TOGETHER’ was elaborated. Central is a unique brochure with information and practical advice from and for young parents on all sorts of difficult moments during the pregnancy and the first, often hectic, baby months.
- Objectives of the Limburg approach of domestic violence:
- A more efficient and effective, but also integral and integrated approach of domestic violence, on the preventive, curative and repressive level
- A close cooperation of police, justice and assistance, by means of an inter-departmental scenario and a better knowledge of each other’s functioning
- A sound regional approach of domestic violence
- Objective ‘PARENTS TOGETHER’: sensitize and support parents directly or indirectly in order to prevent or break through domestic violence
- Objectives ‘PREGNANT TOGETHER, PARENTS TOGETHER’
- Provide young parents with approachable information and advice from other young parents on the difficult moments during the pregnancy and the parenthood and refer them to the appropriate assistance
- Sensitize and inform victims of violence during and after the pregnancy on the assistance possibilities and give them a number of security advices
- Sensitize health professionals, namely midwifes, general practitioners and gynecologists, on domestic violence during and after the pregnancy
- Provide health professionals with guidelines to learn to recognize, guide and adequately refer victims
The project started in 2004 and is now finished.
Last review: October 2015.