Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and other stakeholders will be able to manage victims of sexual assault better at the end of a one week Sexual Assault Victim Management workshop which opened at the Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara on 14 February 2018.
Forty officers of the RSIPF from Honiara and the provinces as well as 25 participants representing other stakeholders are attending the workshop which will end on 17 February.
RSIPF Assistant Commissioner of Crime (AC) Ian Vaevaso says, “The workshop, initiated by the RSIPF Forensic Department and the Solomon Islands Police Development Programme (SIPDP), is aimed at providing a better knowledge and skill to participants to improve their management of victims of sexual violence.”
AC Vaevaso adds: “This is the first such training for this year and I hope the participants will utilise the knowledge they learn from the workshop and put to good use at their workplace.”
He says, “I wish to acknowledge the Commander of SIPDP, John Tanti and his team for recognising the need that RSIPF has in the areas of capacity development, particularly skills and knowledge development for officers to properly and effectively manage victims of sexual violence.”
“I would also like to acknowledge and welcome, our guest facilitator, Associate Professor Vanitta Parekh who is a senior staff specialist in sexual health and forensic medicine based at Canberra Hospital, Australia.”
“Management of victims of crime is a special skill that can only be developed over time. It requires patience, understanding, caring and strength to withstand the emotions and trauma experienced by victims,” says Assistant Commissioner Vaevaso.