In a Workshop Organized by Al-Urdon Al-Jadid Research Center

Major al-Hmoud: Protecting the Dignity of the Victim is the basis of our work

As part of the Civil awareness program that aims to shed light on some human rights issues which are of interest to the Civil Society, the Human Rights Program of the Al-Urdon Al-Jadid Research Center conducted a workshop entitled "The Experience of the Family Protection Department in limiting Family Violence" at the Center's Headquarters. This workshop was headed by Mrs. Lamis Naser, the Director of the Humane Forum for Women's Rights, and the major intervention was made by Major Fadel Al-Hmoud, the Head of the Family Protection Department at the Directorate of Public Security.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. Hani Hourani, the Director General of the Center. Stressed the importance of protecting the family and presented the objectives of the Human Rights Program and its future activities. Major Al-Hmoud then described the experience of the Family Protection Department indicating that this issue has acquired considerable attention for the consecutive Jordanian Government who have expressed the need to limit family violence by any and all means, namely establishing a specialized Section at the Directorate of Public Security to deal with the family violence cases, and developing this Section until it became a major Department in the Directorate of Public Security.

Major Fadel Al-Hmoud then presented justifications as to why the department of Family Protection was established, the objectives it aims to achieve, the tasks it is commissioned to perform, and the method by which it operates. Due to the sensitivity of the cases that this Department handles, he stressed that the employees working in the Department are not recruited unless they willingly express their desire to work in this field, and that all measures are taken to ensure that the dignity of the victims is protected and that they are made to feel at ease. As for the Department's offices, Major Al-Hmoud indicated that there is an office for social services, one for a Psychologist and one for a Forensic doctor.

He also mentioned that future plans include the establishment of sub-office in the various Governorates, and that the delay to do so is caused by the lack of resources, adding that some customs and traditions refuse the idea of Family Protection, thus the necessity to conduct awareness programs and educating people about the importance of family care and protection.

Major Al-Hmoud concluded his intervention by illustrating the statistics of family violence cases, and the type of actions involved, indicating that the recorded cases of family violence are constantly increasing, due, in his opinion, to two major reasons, the fact that people are now aware of the presence of the Family Protection Department which encourages them to report family violence cases, and due to the increase in social, economic and psychological pressures on the people thus increasing the incidents of violence within the family.

Following Major Al-Hmoud's intervention, a discussions took place during which the participants put presented comments and recommendations to increase the efficiency of the service that the Department is presented, and praising their achievements. They also stressed the importance of the collaboration between the Department and the rest of the national organizations, particularly the civil society organizations, especially that the attendees represented national organizations and Projects in the field of Family Protection, enhancing the exchange of experiences and ideas regarding the amalgamation of efforts to strengthen family protection in Jordan.