Book excerpt: Violence against women is a global issue of pandemic proportions, which has an impact on all societies. This Handbook is designed to assist and guide police officers in the prevention of, and response to, violence against women. It familiarizes them with relevant international laws, norms and standards relating to violence against women and informing them about some promising practical approaches to effective police response to act of the violence. While it has global applications, it is designed primarily for use by police in transitional and developing countries where institutional means to protect women from violence have not yet been created or implemented. It addresses the rights of both victims and offenders.