Gyeonggi-do Expands Joint Response Teams for Domestic and Sexual Violence to 8 Locations

Gyeonggi Province will expand its joint response teams for domestic violence and sexual violence from 4 to 8 locations by the end of this year.

Gyeonggi Province is expanding its 'Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Joint Response Teams,' which provide close support including initial counseling for victims, welfare support, and connection to support agencies in collaboration with police and private experts, from 4 to 8 locations.

On the 27th, Gyeonggi Province announced plans to add 3 more teams in the second half of this year to the existing teams located in Bucheon, Hanam, Gimpo, and Ansan, and will proceed with a public recruitment process.

In the cities and counties where the joint response teams are currently established, dedicated police officers for abuse, counselors, and integrated case managers conduct initial case management such as phone counseling for victims of domestic violence and sexual violence reported through 112, as well as their families.

Subsequently, they intervene in the issues expressed by the victims, remove situations causing the current violence, and carry out projects such as providing information support to help meet or resolve realistic needs.

Additionally, they perform tasks including ▲ home visits ▲ welfare resource support and information provision ▲ connection to local specialized institutions ▲ emergency shelter support ▲ investigation assistance ▲ safety measures for crime victims ▲ local case coordination meetings ▲ legal counseling.

In particular, lawyers dispatched from the Ministry of Justice's Legal Home Doctor program (providing legal services to vulnerable groups) visit once a week to offer on-site legal counseling to an average of 4 to 5 people.

However, the province urged families and acquaintances to actively persuade victims to seek help, as support can only be provided for cases where the individual has given consent under the current system.

Ji Ju-yeon, Director of the Women's and Family Bureau of the province, emphasized, "Through the joint response system composed of cities, counties, and experts, we are strengthening follow-up management for victims of domestic and sexual violence, whose aftereffects are severe," and added, "We will actively strive to help victims return to their daily lives."