Police officers are often the first ones people reach out to when they want to break the cycle of violence. How they respond can make a big difference in what happens next for the victims and the support they receive from other organisations. To improve the police’s skills in responding to cases of violence, especially sexual and gender-based violence, ten police officers and five international participants completed eleven-day training of trainers in the capital, yesterday.
According to the Royal Bhutan Police, this is the first time that police officers are being trained by UN-certified trainers on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
The training covered various topics including legal frameworks, prevention techniques, and trauma-informed approaches among others.
The participants found the training an opportunity to refresh their understanding and improve their skills in preventing and investigating such violence and enhance the services they provide.
“For me, the most significant thing I have learned is about domestic violence. While we do see these cases, personally, I never paid much attention to them because some are connected to our culture and norms, and we often consider them normal when they happen. However, in reality, it is not normal. So, this training has been eye-opening for me,” said Frick K Kahwa, a participant from Tanzania Police Force.
“In Bhutanese culture, there is a tendency to treat sexual violence cases as a joke or a minor issue. For example, if we hit someone, we tend to take it lightly in line with our age-old societal norms, and there is some level of acceptance for such cases and issues. However, sexual violence not only affects the victim but also the family, the community, and ultimately, the entire country,” said Sampa Choden, a participant from the Royal Bhutan Police.
According to the RBP, the participants will be deployed for missions in conflicted areas.
Tashi Dekar
Edited by Sonam Pem
