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Summer Updates from Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV)

Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV)
June 2025
“Jacques Delors European Information Centre” Joins APAV’s 35th Anniversary

As part of the celebrations of APAV’s 35th anniversary, the Jacques Delors European Information Centre 

joins APAV, highlighting the initiatives and projects of a European dimension that have marked the institution’s trajectory.

Since 1998, APAV has been involved in 50 projects funded by the European Union, on topics as diverse as:

  • -the prevention and combat of domestic violence;
  • -the prevention of urban crime and victimization;
  • -crimes against children and young people;
  • -support for victims of human trafficking and victims of cybercrime;
  • -prevention and combating of radicalization;
  • -promotion of victims’ rights and many others.

Throughout the year, the Jacques Delors European Information Centre will publish  APAV’s most emblematic projects on the Eurocid Portal .

Conference “Restorative Justice from the Perspective of Victims: Experiences in the Ibero-American Space”

On March 20th and 21st, the Conference “Restorative Justice from the Perspective of Victims: Experiences in the Ibero-American Space” was held at ISCSP – Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Lisbon. This event, which took place in the Adriano Moreira Auditorium, brought together experts, professionals and members of civil society from several Ibero-American countries to discuss the role of victims in restorative justice practices.

The opening session featured speeches by representatives of APAV, ISCSP and regional governments in Spain. This was followed by the session “What can Restorative Justice offer to society?” and a debate on the needs of victims, with the participation of students and professionals in the field. On March 21, the conference continued with discussions on topics such as the global vision of restorative justice, the role of judges and the expansion of this approach in different contexts. The event closed with a presentation by the Ibero-American Council for Restorative Justice and a formal session with international experts.

This conference was the result of a partnership between the Portuguese Association for Victim Support, the Institute for Social Reintegration of Euskadi (IRSE-EBI), Consciencia I Justicia, the Latin American Forum for Restorative Justice and the ISCSP.

APAV Participates in the International Forum INVICTM 2025

APAV participated in the 2025 international forum of INVICTM – International Network Supporting Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence, held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in Lisbon, on May 21st

INVICTM, led by Sue O’Sullivan, from Canada, has had the regular participation of APAV for several years with a proactive view of exchanging experiences with professionals from different branches of knowledge and areas of intervention. 

At this event, João Lázaro, president of APAV, addressed a few words to those present in the opening session. In Panel I, APAV also had the opportunity to present its work in APAV’s planning and response to World Youth Day 2023, as a pioneering action in this event. APAV’s intervention was led by Carla Ferreira, Technical Advisor to the Board and Manager of APAV HOPE – support for victims of homicide, terrorism and mass victimization.

During the day, it was possible to hear the voices of survivors of terrorist attacks, different professionals from various areas of knowledge and intervention, and create synergies for the continuation of a work that is constantly growing. At the end of the event, APAV honored Sue O’Sullivan, with the presentation of a trophy for her dedicated and selfless commitment to the victims of terrorism and mass victimization.

VSE Annual Conference 2025

 The annual Victim Support Europe 2025 Conference took place on 22nd and 23rd May: “35 Years of Victim Support in Europe – Transforming the Present, Inspiring a Better Future”. Promoted by APAV and Victim Support Europe (VSE), the conference took place at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

In 2025, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of VSE and APAV, so this conference was an opportunity to reflect on the progress made over more than three decades of victim support. The programme was aligned with the current political climate in post-election Europe and guided by the political guidelines for the next European Commission, with a particular focus on youth. The conference programme sought to ensure that victim rights and support remain a central priority in the evolving European landscape.

The conference brought together over 200 participants from more than 30 countries. These were truly memorable days, filled with meaningful reflection on the journey taken and the significant progress made over more than three decades of supporting victims of crime in Portugal and across Europe.

 

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