The Norwegian Equality and Anti-discrimination Ombud on 2 June held an online webinar on domestic homicide reviews - a method for preventing intimate partner homicide.
Portugal is one of eight countries that have implemented the method, together with the United States, Canada, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
"In Portugal, the domestic homicide reviews are national and every homicide or attempted homicide in the context of domestic violence can be reviewed with no limitations of the victim’s age," says António Castanho, the founder and member of the Portuguese domestic homicide review team, a clinical psychologist and ex-police officer.
The manuals Portugal uses have been translated into English. The webinar was part of a bilateral project between Norway and Portugal, that is supported by the EEA and Norway Grants (see fact box). This year, Portugal will share the method with professionals in Norway, and they will visit Norway for a training in September.
In the webinar, the Portuguese Team on Retrospective Analysis in Domestic Violence Homicides gave a brief introduction of the Portuguese method and examples of how it can be used to the over 100 event participants.
"About 1 in 3 homicides in Portugal is the result of domestic violence," said Castanho in the webinar.
"Portugal is a safe country with a low rate on homicides, 85 last year. Still, we need to reduce the number of homicides and reduce domestic abuse by identifying the deficiencies detected in specific cases, formulating corrections to existing procedures," explained Castanho.
The Portuguese Team have published 17 reports, one for each case reviewed, in addition to 42 recommendations (soon to be published in english).
"Some of the recommendations are training of professionals, risk assessment and management registration of situations," said Castanho.
The recommendations also include coordination of intervention, law enforcement changes, support for victims, intervention communities, explained Castanho.
Ragnhild Hennum, Professor of public law at the University of Oslo Faculty of law and Head of the Norwegian intimate partner homicide committee, presented the findings and recommendations from the Norwegian committee.
"Our findings are quite similar to those reported by The Portuguese Team," said Hennum.
The Norwegian intimate partner homicide committee's report was published in 2022 with measures to prevent intimate partner violence and partner homicide. The report also includes a review of intimate partner homicide cases and the committee's recommendations.
Read the report (Norwegian only)
Read the English summary of the report
"The committee had 70 recommendations, both general and specific recommendations to, among other, the police service and the prosecutors."
"These recommendations were quite similar as those from the Portuguese team, like risk assessment and having good routines," said Hennum.
Hennum highlighted one of the recommendations that she thinks will make most impact.
"This is about making a permanent commission, like they have in Portugal. To have a permanent commission to review cases," said Hennum.
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