Training with An Garda Síochána
Women's Aid has been providing training on responding to women experiencing domestic violence to students at Templemore Garda College for over ten years.
- Women's Aid training on domestic violence is delivered to all phase III Garda students at Templemore Garda College.
- On average, Women's Aid provides training to 800 students per year, through 2010.
Why do we provide training to Gardaí on domestic violence?
- The Gardaí have a vital role in keeping victims safe through law enforcement and in holding perpetrators accountable.
- International and national research identifies that the two professionals that women first seek support from are GPs and the Gardaí.
- An Garda Síochána has a policy on Domestic Violence Intervention which was first introduced in 1994, and most recently updated in 2009, setting out a pro-arrest policy in cases of domestic violence.
Aims of the training:
- To influence and promote good practice and multi-agency work in responding to domestic violence and to explore the positive impact of effective intervention by Gardaí.
How does the training do this?
- By exploring implications of relevant legislation and the Garda role as law enforcers.
- By exploring Garda policy on domestic violence and its implication for practice.
- By promoting awareness of the risks to a woman and by focusing on the safety of the victim as priority.
- By promoting the importance of holding the perpetrator accountable.
- By providing an understanding of the work of Women's Aid and the benefits of inter-agency work in addressing the crime of domestic violence.
- The training is designed to complement the training on domestic violence provided by the Garda College, providing an opportunity for Women's Aid to share our experience and insights on domestic violence, gained from working as a specialist agency on the issue, with a view to supporting Gardaí in their role as law enforcers.
Women's Aid provides training to many agencies including Garda students, medical professionals, HSE staff and community organisations who through the course of their work encounter women living with domestic violence
Feedback from Garda Students on training with Women's Aid
The value to the Garda students of the training provided by Women's Aid is demonstrated in the following quotes from the training evaluations:
"I am now more aware of scenarios that can occur which before I wouldn't have classed as being a domestic violence scenario and also I appreciate how hard it can be for the victim"
"Realised domestic violence is a major cause of death in the country giving it much more weight and urgency"
"I have a better knowledge of the background and reason for domestic violence and the powers I have in relation to it"
"It (the training) is a real eye-opener"
"It (the training) would give me greater confidence to deal with the situation in a more efficient and effective manner"