Tag: Victims

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VicTory: First Exchange Event to Combat Hate and Extremism in Europe

The European project VicTory has successfully concluded its first Experience and Exchange Training Event, held from February 10th to 12th, 2026. Over three intensive days, professionals from five partner countries gathered to comprehensively address the worrying rise in intolerance and its impact on victimization.

The meeting brought together a multidisciplinary group composed of victim support professionals—specifically those working with victims of hate crimes—judicial authorities, and civil society prevention experts.

Support for Victims of Hate Crimes and Violent Extremism with a Rights-Based Perspective

Throughout the three-day program, participants discussed comprehensive strategies to support victims of hate crimes and violent extremism, highlighting the importance of a person-centered approach oriented toward restorative justice.

In a joint session led by Rascha Albaba, a researcher from the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, and the Ararteko (Ombudsman of the Basque Country), it was emphasized that victims should not be reduced solely to their status as victims: they are human beings with fundamental rights, and all support services must guarantee their dignity and safety.

The sessions emphasized the implementation of a human rights-based approach, explaining how victims’ rights are protected under international frameworks and within the European Union. Professionals were provided with existing mechanisms through which they can indirectly reinforce this protection at an international level. Additionally, practical “dos and don’ts” guidelines for victim care were provided to avoid causing further harm (secondary victimization) during the reporting and recovery processes.

The Ararteko delved into the role of key institutions in protecting victims’ rights, presenting concrete examples of restorative justice that balance the reparation of harm with the safety and well-being of those affected.

Theory and Practice in Action

The sessions combined theory and practice, including a site visit to the Rete di Dafne project in Palazzolo. There, participants observed how community networks transform vulnerability into strength by providing support, validation, and security to victims. This holistic approach demonstrated how collaboration between professionals and communities can significantly improve the protection and accompaniment of victims of hate crimes and extremist violence. The event was characterized by its human focus, allowing participants to hear real testimonies from both victims of extremism and individuals who had caused harm.

Next Steps for the VicTory Project

VicTory is an international initiative that seeks to improve responses to hate and extremism through cooperation between judicial, law enforcement, and victim support actors. With an approach based on the victim and restorative justice, it promotes a safer and more resilient Europe.

This event in Brescia marks the beginning of a series of three exchange meetings planned within the project. The participation of the Euro-Arab Foundation in these forums reinforces its position as a leader in applied research and training regarding the prevention of extremist violence and the protection of human rights—even for the most vulnerable—proving that in the face of transnational challenges, the solution must be shared and coordinated.

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Initial Session of the VicTory Course, Focused on Victims and Restorative Justice

Last week, the introductory session of the VicTory project’s online training took place. In the online meeting, the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, as the coordinator of the VicTory project, actively participated in the introductory session of the online training, welcoming participants and presenting the comprehensive victim-centered and restorative justice approach that characterizes the project. During the session, the purpose and scope of the training were explained, combining an online course with in-person exchange events, and the importance of the work of professionals who provide justice and empowerment to victims every day was emphasised.

The session also offered participants the opportunity to get to know each other better and begin building networks of collaboration among professionals from different European countries, fostering constructive and enriching exchanges. It was highlighted that criminal justice and victim support go beyond legal and institutional procedures, and that training professionals working in this field is essential to ensure effective and humane assistance.

The Digital Dimension of Harm and Training for Victim Support Professionals

For many people affected by hate crimes or extremism, the harm does not end with the incident itself. This is particularly evident in digital environments, where the ongoing circulation of images, narratives, comments, or threats can prolong suffering, increasing distress and uncertainty beyond the original event. However, despite the growing prevalence of this reality, victims often face these digital aftereffects with limited information and uneven support. Professionals may lack up-to-date knowledge about online risks, particularly regarding the interaction of generative artificial intelligence and algorithmic biases, while digital platforms face challenges in moderating “gray” content and removing it effectively.

Despite these challenges, victim support professionals consulted within the VicTory project emphasize that the digital world can also offer opportunities to improve victim safety, recovery, and reporting, helping to reduce secondary harm. Therefore, the VicTory project highlights the need for clearer professional practices and greater institutional awareness that recognizes the digital dimension of harm, ensuring that information, support, and protective measures are available both in-person and online. This is one of the topics covered in our online training course.

Registration and participation in the online training remain open. This training is aimed at professionals working in the field of support for victims of hate crimes and violent extremism in Europe and is available in Spanish, English, and other languages. Interested individuals can register and obtain more information through the following link: https://lnkd.in/dFysTwaS

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Seminar ‘Women and Restorative Justice. Reparation from a Gender Perspective’.

This seminar is part of the European VicTory project whose work focuses on understanding and tackling (violent) extremism and hatred in a holistic, victim-centred way, seeking to ensure that victims’ rights are respected and secondary victimisation is avoided.

Funded by the European Commission’s E-Justice, the project identifies existing legislation, protocols, practices and initiatives around victim support in Europe, with the aim of examining their effectiveness and challenges, especially whether there are those tailored to victims of incidents related to hate and violent extremism, taking into account the perspective of victims, as well as examining other initiatives focused on supporting different types of victims, which can be transferable and adaptable.

VicTory also promotes and guides the implementation of restorative practices, with the aim of raising awareness and empowering practitioners, communities and victims themselves to successfully engage in them, thereby improving victims’ access to justice and key support.

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The Euro-Arab Foundation in the meeting of the European Commission’s DG JUST

Reunión en Bruselas de coordinadoras de proyectos europeos financiados por el programa DG JUST de la Comisión Europea. 16 de abril de 2024

On 16 and 17 April, the European Commission is bringing together in Brussels the coordinators of projects funded by the Directorate-General for Justice (DG JUST), the department responsible for EU policies on justice, consumer rights and gender equality. The more than 100 people invited to the event will receive information on the new rules for funding and justification of expenditure, as well as guidelines for the quarterly review of each project to be submitted to the Commission.

The Euro-Arab Foundation’s Director of Research and International Projects, Javier Ruipérez, together with Euro-Arab researcher, Daniel Pérez, are participating in the event as coordinators of VicTory and as partners of the Data Equality project, both funded by DG JUST. The first one is focused on preventing discrimination in the use of data and the latter on improving the application of restorative justice for victims of hate and extremism.

In addition to the training sessions, the event serves as an opportunity for the different entities to develop synergies and establish contacts to create networks, which is essential in this type of projects focused on promoting cooperation between justice professionals, victim support workers, victims themselves, researchers and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Participants will also receive workshops on gender mainstreaming or how to include a gender perspective in all their work.

The meeting will also address the call of the CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) programme which, together with the Justice programme, is part of the European Commission’s new Justice, Rights and Values funds. One of the projects funded by CERV is ReBel, of which the Euro-Arab Foundation is a member. It aims to foster social understanding of migrants and improve migration policies by working closely with migrant women. Another ongoing CERV project, in which the Foundation is involved, is HATEDEMICS, which aims to empower NGOs/CSOs, journalists, youth or public authorities against hate speech rooted in misinformation and targeting vulnerable groups.