On April 24-25, 2025, training was held for the staff of the Public Defender's Office of Georgia on the topic of sexual crimes, which covered issues of effective investigation of cases of sexual violence, criminal prosecution, trial and access to justice, including:

• Understanding sexual violence crimes from a gender perspective in accordance with the Istanbul Convention, international human rights law and criminal justice standards;
• Evidentiary standards and the importance of context-based investigation;
• Studying victim-centered strategies, including during interviews;
• Identifying myths and stereotypes about sexual violence;
• Analyzing specific circumstances for persons with disabilities and other particularly vulnerable persons, introducing victim-centered and context-based approaches.

The knowledge gained during the training will assist the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia in monitoring cases of sexual violence, examining individual cases and exploring the above-mentioned issue.

The meeting was held with the support of the Council of Europe project “Reinforcing gender equality and implementing GREVIO recommendations to combat violence against women and domestic violence in Georgia”.