Effectively protecting victims and determining the responsibility of perpetrators of violence largely depend on the efficiency of police and prosecution. It is therefore important that the police and prosecution possess specialised knowledge on violence against women and domestic violence, apply standards, and clear and consistent procedures, and enhance co-operation with other institutions and organisations dealing with victim protection.

With the aim to strengthen the judicial response to domestic violence cases, a working meeting between the police, prosecutions, NGO Women’s Rights Centre and the Council of Europe took place on 14 April 2022 in Podgorica, to discuss and finalise the Handbook on processing domestic violence cases.

The aim of the Handbook is to facilitate the work of the police and prosecution in dealing with cases of domestic violence through precise guidelines, to strengthen the position and rights of victims in the proceedings, and to help determine the responsibility of perpetrators of domestic violence.

The Handbook is the result of the co-operation between the European Union, Council of Europe and the Women's Rights Centre and will serve as a useful tool in effectively dealing with cases of domestic violence.

The meeting was organised within the action "Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro", which is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.