Victims with Irregular migration Status' sAfe Reporting of Crimes

ended

VISA RoC explicitly promotes victims with irregular migration status’ equal access to justice by fostering a safe environment to report crimes without fear of being deported. The project tackles a clear tension between EU victim’s protection and immigration policies (protection v. return) that has been addressed for the first time in the EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025) (p. 14) and that has been also identified by scholars (Delvino 2019) and other institutions (FRA 2014, PICUM, 2015). The effectiveness of this project lies in its evidence-based, participatory and local approach. Coordinated by Barcelona University, it gathers public administrations (e.g city councils), NGOs and research institutions based in four important cities (Barcelona, Ghent, Milan and Utrecht) to improve the situation in these municipalities but, before all, to foster mutual learning and exchange of good practices, as well as to share awareness-raising and training activities and to facilitate cooperation between competent authorities and private stakeholders. It’s European added value, impact and dissemination potential to other Member States and EU institutions is also granted by a strong communication strategy and by the active involvement of PICUM and VSE, the largest NGO platforms related to undocumented migrants and victim’s support. The project contributes to the victims’ rights priority and takes into account a gender-perspective not only by paying special attention to gender-violence and human trafficking for sexual exploitation, but also for incorporating gender representation in the management, implementation and impact of the project, as well as the needs of women in the safe environment conditions that need to be taken into account to foster reporting of crime by undocumented migrants. However, the practical benefits of the project embrace all undocumented migrants, but also NGOs, municipal authorities, police officers and other agents such as lawyers and NGO workers.