Thirty agents from various forces have today started a two-day training programme on “better understanding the specifics of crimes against LGBTI people”.
The training is in line with a manual produced by the Council of Europe, say reports.
This is the first initiative of its kind in Portugal, setting out to “give security forces a more adequate response” to possible scenarios, including violence against a ‘trans immigrant woman’ or ‘homosexual gypsy’.
Explains Diário de Notícias, in these kind of cases most victims do not file any kind of official complaint, as they don’t believe they will be taken seriously.
Rosa Monteiro, Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, says this is the stumbling block.
Thus the ‘main objective’ of today’s training is that agents involved will pass on what they
learn to colleagues.
Further training sessions are planned throughout the country, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs is distributing the Council of Europe manual to police and other public services.
