Dear Members,  

As we reflect on 2024, I’m inspired by how far we’ve come and the exciting steps ahead. This year was critical for WWP EN as the network transitioned into newer areas of work, onboarded new members and staff, and geared up for a new cycle of change. In this last newsletter, I want to highlight some of those great achievements.  

In October, WWP EN celebrated a decade of WWP EN with our Annual Conference, 10 Years of Change – Exploring Next Frontiers of Ending Domestic Violence. Held in Berlin, it tackled critical topics like LGBTQ+ intimate partner violence and women’s use of force. In the conference, experts from the WWP EN network and outside facilitated knowledge transfer through speeches, workshops, and discussions. New grounds were broken as well as old achievements were spotlighted to ensure our work is more inclusive and impactful. 

While we are on the subject of new grounds, we are currently busy with  our ongoing #ResponsibleTogether24 campaign, which is part of the 16 Days of Activism. This year, the campaign is focused on raising awareness amongst our members on the unique challenges LGBTQ+ communities face in abusive relationships. And I am proud to say that it is already fostering crucial conversations and inspiring change! 

Another great achievement in the bag for us in 2024 was the launch of the WWP EN  Accreditation Program. It was a key step toward improving and standardizing the quality of perpetrator programs across Europe. By providing a shared framework, the program elevates the impact of perpetrator programs, provides support for the teams, and enhances practices and outcomes of participating organisations. 

Our Annual General Meeting and board elections were another important milestone, ensuring strong leadership at a time when WWP EN is undergoing vital transitions as a part of its growth to become a truly international body in this field. My vision is for us to unite practitioners, survivors, and communities globally, equipping them with tools and resources that reflect the diversity of challenges they face.  

Looking to 2025, inclusivity and intersectionality will play a strong hand in our endeavours as we at WWP EN expand our reach, deepen our impact, and grow as a network committed to ending domestic and gender-based violence. Together, we’re building a safe future for the global society. 

Thank you for being part of this journey.  I wish you a beautiful Christmas and a very happy new year. Happy holidays! 

Warm regards,  

Alessandra Pauncz, Executive Director, WWP EN

The conference, which took place in Berlin on between October 21 and 23 was a huge success. It gathered together experts from our network focusing on how perpetrator work has changed since the network's founding and lay the groundwork for an even more impactful future. 

During the conference speeches and workshops, we took a close look at intimate partner violence in LGBTQ+ relationships and women’s use of force against their male partners. Attendees explored similarities and differences to male violence in heterosexual relationships and gained greater sensitivity to the specific needs of female clients in heterosexual relationships and LGBTQ+ clients.

As part of WWP EN’s commitment to explore new frontiers of ending domestic violence, our #ResponsibleTogether24 campaign during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is focused on raising awareness about intimate partner violence (IPV) in LGBTQ+ relationships and increasing the communication between victims/perpetrators and support services.

Professor Catherine Donovan’s expert paper for WWP EN dives deep into the unique challenges faced by LGBT+ survivors and highlights how abuse can target identity, gender roles, and societal biases.

This research sheds light on how stereotypes and discrimination make it harder for victims to seek help—and how abusers exploit these dynamics to control and isolate their partners. It’s a call to action for more inclusive support systems that recognize and address these complex realities.

Join us for a webinar on 'Guidelines for Perpetrator Programs Focused on LGBT+ Communities: A Conversation with Professor Catherine Donovan' hosted by WWP EN's Rashi Chauhan on December 10, 2024, 1100 CET. This engaging interview with Professor Catherine Donovan is the main concluding event of the WWP EN's #ResponsibleTogether2024 campaign, which focuses on addressing violence in LGBT+ relationships under the motto: Love is normal. Violence is not.

Professor Donovan explores why domestic abuse programs must address the specific needs of LGBT+ communities, including the challenges of identity abuse, the invisibility of LGBT+ perpetrators, and the impact of cisheteronormative biases. She also shares practical steps for creating inclusive programs, fostering trust with LGBT+ communities, and training practitioners to better support both victims and perpetrators.  

Join us for this important conversation and discover ways to create safer and more inclusive spaces for everyone.  

Gain valuable insights into how communities can unite to end domestic violence! Save the date for our online event on 21 January 2025 to explore the “StoP”approach — an innovative community-based initiative designed to address and prevent domestic violence at its roots.

In the event, we will discuss how to create safer neighbourhoods, build support networks for victims, and challenge the societal norms perpetuating abuse by empowering community members to react and stop the cycle of violence. Our experts will also explore how local institutions can support StoP and similar community actions. 

You'll learn what you can do to help stop violence in communities and make a real difference. Stay tuned for more updates.

Effectively tackling gender-based violence requires a comprehensive, 360-degree approach that engages various actors across all levels of the community. At our webinar in November, the CHANGE team shared how they successfully fostered meaningful transformation in their regions in Italy. 

We explored how law enforcement agencies across Europe respond to intimate partner violence. The findings were detailed in the TACTICS regional reports, which revealed key insights into the challenges faced by police professionals. 

To empower law enforcement to support women affected by violence, we are developing a Training Manual for Police and awareness-raising materials and handouts for officers. These materials for police highlight what’s needed when it comes to responding to a domestic violence incident, in a manner which is effective and centres the victims´ safety. The TACTICS checklist poster shows police professionals how they can empathetically assist women who experience violence and is developed to be displayed in police stations. A more detailed booklet serves as a small handbook for professionals.

Stay tuned for more resources on TACTICS for Police. 

Are you part of a programme working with perpetrators of domestic violence? Are you looking to elevate your impact, support your team, and enhance outcomes for those you work with? Our webinar earlier this week explored how WWP EN´s European accreditation can help a programme reach its full potential?

Find out how this process can help you identify strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement, and unlock new opportunities for growth.

The WWP EN European Standards for Perpetrator Programmes prioritise survivor safety and well-being, and recognise the importance of integrating survivor perspectives into the work with men who use violence. They define the minimum requirements for safe and effective work with adult male perpetrators of intimate partner violence against their female partners.

We are always working to make the English standards available in more languages. Click on the links below to download the copy in your language:

Italian

Slovenian

Serbian