Guidelines for police on conducting risk assessment of intimate partner violence against women
Author | European Institute for Gender Equality (EU body or agency) |
Pages | 24-37 |
2. Guidelines for police on conducting risk assessment of intimate partner violence against women
European Institute for Gender Equality24
2. Guidelines for police on conducting risk
assessment of intimate partner violence
against women
2.1. Main principles
Principle 1: Prioritising victim safety
The immediate and ongoing safety and
well-being of those affected by intimate part-
ner violence must be the first priority and re-
sult of the risk assessment process.
To this end, the first guiding principle for police
risk assessment is to effectively recognise and as-
sessthe risk of repeat victimisation, intimidation
and retaliation in the context of intimate partner
violence, and to ensure that victims receive the
most effective support possible to reduce that
risk.
In prioritising victim safety and well-being, the
process of risk assessment should be used not to
limit eligibility for services but, rather, to identify
when enhanced or expedited intervention is nec-
essary in order to keep women and children safe.
In this way, risk assessment is not an end in itself
but an entry point for female victims of intimate
partner violence to the victim support system, re-
gardless of risk level.
HOW: Key elements for applying the
principle of victim safet y in risk assessment
In apply ing the principle of vic tim s afety in risk
assessment, police lea dership should ensure
the following.
Identification and assessment of vic-
tims’ individual safety needs is carried
out on a case-by-case basis.
Risk assessment facilitates women’s
entry into the victim support system in
accordance with national procedures. The
type and level of support provided should
be determined according to the level of
risk and degree of severityidentified.
Police risk assessment recognises the dy-
namic nature of risk by ensuring that
follow-up assessments take place to
evaluate possible changes in risk levels.
Risk should be assessed systematically,
on a regular basis and in close coopera-
tion with the victim. The frequency of fol-
low-up assessments may be determined
on a case-by-case basis and according to
the level of risk identified.
Risk assessment should directly corre-
spond to strategies for risk management
tailored to the victim’s specific safety
needs and should respond to the level
of risk identified.
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