Fourth-year Public Relations students from the College of Mass Communication conducted a field visit to the Community Police Directorate as part of the practical component of their graduation project, titled “The Impact of Addiction on Domestic Violence.” The visit was supervised by Assistant Professors Dr Huda Adel Taha, Dr Zainab Laith, and Dr Alaa Mustafa, along with Lecturer Dr Rana Abdul Latif.
The visit aimed to explore institutional efforts to address cases of domestic violence linked to drug use and addiction, and to familiarize students with the professional mechanisms used by specialized authorities to handle such cases from legal, psychological and social perspectives.
Representatives of the Directorate gave a detailed presentation on the role of community police in receiving complaints and responding promptly, as well as family mediation, awareness and counselling programmes, and coordination with health and social institutions to address addiction cases that contribute to family breakdown and escalating violence.
The students also had the opportunity to raise questions about various aspects of the issue. Discussions focused on the main challenges facing relevant authorities in dealing with addicts who perpetrate violence within their families, particularly limited public awareness, reluctance to report cases, and the complexities of legal procedures.
The visit represents an important step in the development of the students’ graduation project, helping bridge theoretical knowledge with field experience and deepen their understanding of addiction as a factor affecting family stability and community safety.
The activity also supports the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, by contributing to efforts to reduce violence, raise public awareness, and promote safer and more stable family environments.
