8th international EFJCA Conference | 30 November & 1 December 2026 | Portlaoise (Ireland)
Bio Pascale Franck
Pascale Franck is a Belgian criminologist and Vice-President of the European Family Justice Center Alliance (EFJCA). She supports the development of Family Justice Centres and similar multidisciplinary services across Europe, helping governments, public authorities and civil society organisations build coordinated responses to domestic and gender-based violence. Her work within EFJCA includes advising new and established centres, training professionals, contributing to European projects, and organising international conferences, masterclasses and exchanges of practice.
Professionally active in this field since 1991, Pascale brings extensive experience in addressing violence against women, domestic violence and child abuse. Her career connects frontline practice, policy development and international cooperation, with a consistent focus on victim safety, empowerment and recovery.
Pascale founded the Family Justice Center Antwerp, now Veilig Huis Antwerpen, and served as its strategic coordinator from 2012 to 2023. She helped develop an integrated approach bringing together support services, police, justice and other partners to respond to complex and high-risk situations. As an expert within the Flemish Government, she supports the development and sustainable operation of the Veilige Huizen, strengthening multidisciplinary cooperation and shared working methods across Flanders.
She has been a member of GREVIO, the Council of Europe’s independent expert body monitoring implementation of the Istanbul Convention, since 2023, and has served as its Second Vice-President since July 2026. In this capacity, she contributes to the evaluation of legislation, policy and practice to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence.
An experienced international trainer, speaker, author and editor, Pascale works with professionals across justice, law enforcement, healthcare and social services. Her areas of expertise include coercive control, femicide prevention, risk assessment and management, non-fatal strangulation, perpetrator accountability and trauma-informed practice. She also contributes expertise to EIGE, the OECD and the European Commission’s TAIEX programme.
Across her work, Pascale seeks to translate knowledge and human rights standards into practical improvements in protection and support. She has a particular interest in applying the science of hope to help adults and children affected by violence rebuild their lives.
