Marina Kazakova
Friday, February 7th 2025
Project INVICTUS: First Partners’ Meeting Launches Initiative to Improve National Victim Support Frameworks in Several European Countries
Every day, countless victims of crime across Europe struggle to access the support they need. But change is happening on various fronts. The INVICTUS Project is working to ensure that victims in Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands receive the care, guidance, and justice they deserve.
Recently, a major step was taken with the first partners’ meeting of Project INVICTUS in Brussels on January 28th and 29th, 2025. Hosted by Victim Support Europe (VSE), the meeting gathered experts from Bulgaria (BCNL), Croatia (VSC/VWSSC), Finland (RIKU), France (France Victimes), Italy (Rete Dafne Italia), Portugal (APAV), and the Netherlands (Slachtofferhulp). Together, they set the foundation for improving how victims’ needs are assessed, how they are referred to services, and how crucial information reaches them.
On the first day, VSE and Slachtofferhulp led the project presentation, laying out the roadmap for how we will work together to improve victim support. Partners openly discussed challenges they anticipate during the pilot phase and explored ways to engage key stakeholders in their countries. It was a moment of shared learning—everyone brought insights from their own research, exchanging strategies on data collection and best practices.
The interactive workshops led by France Victimes and APAV turned discussion into action, allowing partners to compare national approaches, tackle common obstacles, and brainstorm solutions to reduce future risks. Over the course of two days, VSE also provided clarity on project expectations—covering management, timelines, financial reporting, and communication—to ensure that every partner is equipped to move forward with confidence.
This is more than just a project—it’s a movement towards stronger national victim support frameworks across Europe. We are confident that INVICTUS project’s evidence-based, multistakeholder approach will ultimately lead to more cohesive national action plans to improve victim support frameworks in implementing countries.
