Practical workshop as an important project milestone

An important milestone in the project was the joint workshop, which took place last Thursday in the central library of the state capital Düsseldorf under the motto "Strengthening trust - enabling dialogue". The event was organised by Dr Tim Lukas and Jacqueline Oppers from the Department of Civil Protection, Disaster Relief and Property Security at the University of Wuppertal. The workshop brought together experts from Düsseldorf's protection and support system to discuss key challenges relating to intimate partner violence, the specific experiences of Muslim women and perspectives for culturally and religiously sensitive police work.

Voices from the field

Thorsten Fleiß, head of the Dusseldorf Police Department's Emergency Response Division and project partner, emphasises the importance of the exchange: "When it comes to intimate partner violence, trust is a key prerequisite for seeking help. Such dialogue formats help us to better understand barriers to access and to further develop our work in the interests of those affected". In several rounds of dialogue, the participants discussed various practical issues - including how to communicate information about help services to specific target groups, how to integrate culturally and religiously sensitive approaches into daily practice and how to build trust.

Accompanying scientific research and practice transfer

The University of Wuppertal is providing scientific support for the DIALOGisch project. The findings from the workshop will now be systematically evaluated and incorporated into the design of the dialogue programme, which will be tested in Düsseldorf next year. Dr Tim Lukas, research group leader in the Civil Protection, Disaster Relief and Property Security department, explains: "The results from practical experience provide important information on how trust in the police can be strengthened - not abstractly, but concretely, on site and in dialogue with those who work with those affected on a daily basis". Jacqueline Oppers, research assistant and coordinator of the project, adds: "The diversity of perspectives in the workshop was a great enrichment for our research. It was particularly important for us to create a space for practical experiences and to discuss and reflect on these together in a safe environment.