The police officers need to observe the demeanor and behavior of those present: who is aggressive, who is afraid, who is traumatized. They need to notice any broken items and look for signs of struggle. Usually, none of these essential aspects are recorded in the police report. The police should also seek out witnesses, such as neighbors or relatives, and be attentive to whether they are impartial. Again, this is generally not done by the police presently.11 Recommendations: 1. Develop relevant mechanisms (including legal ones) to establish a victim-centered approach to victims of violence, as well as toward children who have witnessed the violence 2. Mandatory in-depth trainings on gender-based violence and domestic violence for all police officers.
Dealing with the Victim We have observed a lack of empathy by the police towards the victims. In fact, the entire process is not victim-centered. Given that Armenia is a patriarchal society, more importance and rights are accorded to men, even if they are the abusers. The lack of appropriate training of the police often ends in misjudging the victim (which we will discuss further in the section below on the Emergency Intervention Order). There are ample resources
11 For a complete guide to police response see Council of Europe Police Guideline https:// womensupportcenter.org/assets/PDF%20publications/EUR%20ENG%20FINAL.pdf
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