Training Package for Prosecutors Responding to Violence against Women and Girls in Asia and the Pacific

Prosecuting crimes of violence against women and girls (VAWG) can be challenging due to structural, social, procedural, personal and other reasons. For survivors, the process of bringing a complaint into the criminal justice system can be a difficult and traumatizing experience. The way in which criminal justice professionals initially respond to survivors is critical in determining whether a victim/survivor chooses to participate in further legal action or abandons it. However, as previous research has shown, gender bias and discrimination fuel myths around such violence which shape the criminal justice response to these crimes. As a result, survivors face significant societal, legal, and institutional barriers contributing to high attrition rates. Prosecutors can play a critical role in ensuring a credible criminal justice system for female victims of violence.

Developed through a partnership of Global Rights for Women and the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the purpose of this Training Package is to build the capacity of prosecutors on providing quality and holistic responses to survivors of violence, and to better understand survivor’s perspectives, experiences, to bring them justice and address their needs. The goal of this training is that gender-transformative, trauma informed and survivor-centered approaches are utilized in prosecution and that gender biases are addressed, to ensure that the legal system supports survivors of violence against women in a respectful and empowering way. The Curriculum includes common key principles and considerations for all prosecutors working with survivors of violence, and includes practical step-by-step instructions for trainers, as well as exercises, and handouts with case studies.