MOGEF comes up with「standard guidelines for the prevention of secondary victimization of women victims of violence」

▪ Stipulating what institution chiefs and members should do to protect the victims

▪ Presenting the procedure for handling secondary damage cases, punishment of perpetrators, and need to take measures to prevent recurrence

□ The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family(“MOGEF”/Minister Chung Young-ai) disclosed that it has come up with standard guidelines for the prevention of secondary victimization of victims at workplaces.

 ㅇ Said guidelines are a follow-up measure taken concerning the Framework Act on Prevention of Violence against Women, which entered into force in December 2019 and defined “secondary victimization” for the first time.

 ㅇ Said guidelines were a result of eight months of research and collection of opinions from experts and central/local government institutions.

□ Said guidelines are focused on drawing the attention of the members of central/local government institutions to the meaning of secondary victimization.

 ㅇ Setting the procedure for handling cases of secondary victimization, and reminding them of matters to take note of including prevention of disclosure of personal information.

 ㅇ Central/Local government institutions may set their own guidelines based on these standard guidelines. MOGEF will distribute the standard guidelines to central/local government institutions on January 26.

□ The standard guidelines include the following: meaning of secondary victimization, what institution chiefs and members should do to prevent it, preventive education, how to handle cases of such, punishment of perpetrators, measures to prevent cases, etc. 

  ㅇ According to the guidelines, institution chiefs should hold education sessions to prevent secondary victimization based on detailed instructions in the guidelines, take steps to protect victims, establish a procedure for handling the relevant complaints, and come up with measures to prevent recurrence. 

  ㅇ A feature of said guidelines is a clause requiring taking a protective measure for whistleblowers and those assisting in the handling of the relevant cases.

  ㅇ Said guidelines also present specific types of acts leading to secondary victimization including attempts to cover up a case or blaming a victim, what should be observed by members/supervisors of institutions, and punitive steps taken against acts leading to secondary victimization. 

□ MOGEF plans to urge central/local government institutions to set their own guidelines for the prevention of secondary victimization within the first half of the year. It will check whether this has been observed toward the end of July, when it will check the measures taken by them to put an end to sexual harassment/violence in the public sector.

□ “We hope that these guidelines, the first of its kind made in the country, will go a long way in encouraging those at public institutions to improve their organizational culture and put an end to violence against women at workplaces,” said Director General Hwang Yun-jeong of the Women’s and Youth’s Rights Promotion Bureau.