Since April 2025, VSE has been leading a working group (WG) on referrals under the Crossing Protect project,which focuses on enhancing skills and capabilities of partners within the Restorative Justice (RJ) and the Victim Support (VS) systems. This will foster cross-border collaboration and inter-sectoral cooperation, with a specific focus on supporting women victims of crimes.
Within the project framework, partners participate in three dedicated online working groups, each focusing respectively on developing common training models, individual needs assessment, and referrals.
Our WG seeks to strengthen cooperation between services by identifying the core elements that underpin effective collaboration and by defining what a strong referral system should include. Through an inclusive and interactive methodology, combining both in-person and online meetings, the group will develop practical guidelines that can be applied in different contexts and scenarios.
Complementing the outcomes of the other two working groups, these guidelines are intended to support professionals working with victims of all types of crimes, with a special emphasis on referral processes in cases of Violence Against Women (VAW). The aim is to address the lack of a consistent referral pathway, particularly between VS and RJ services, which are both represented in the consortium. The document will also identify potential risks and propose measures to mitigate them, thereby safeguarding victims and preventing secondary victimisation.
The WG is regularly attended by members of the European Forum for Restorative Justice (BE), Mediante (BE), Associazione Spondé (IT), Rete Dafne (IT), Klaipeda Social and Psychological Support Center (LT) and The Institute of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Lisbon (PT), allowing an exchange of expertise, views and knowledge between practitioners in different fields.
Throughout the series of meetings, we explored the definitions and main objectives of a referral system, the key features of an ideal referral mechanism as well as the benefits of an increased cooperation between RJ and VS services. We also examined different referral models and approaches, set out the criteria for an effective referral system, and presented several inspiring case studies, including relevant experiences inf Catalonia, Belgium and Italy.
During a joint session with APAV, the leader of the WG2, we turned our attention to Individual Needs Assessment (INA), acknowledging its essential role in ensuring that referrals are made in a timely and appropriate manner. The group highlighted the core principles of INA and outlined the distinctions between needs and risk assessment. This discussion once again underscored the importance of strengthening collaboration between the different working groups
In our most recent meeting in November, we discussed the specific needs, risks, and mitigation measures related to victims of violence against women (VAW), with particular attention to intimate partner violence (IPV) and domestic violence (DV). The session concluded with an overview of the first draft of the referral guidelines. These are the main outcome of our work and will be presented to the wider consortium at the next in-person training event in Poland in 2026, as well as at the final conference planned for November 2026.
To learn more about the project, please visit this website: https://www.crossingprotect-erasmusplus.eu/
