Media Coverage on the Istanbul Convention
Convention raises bar for Europe to combat violence against women
04/08/2014 - Trust Law / Reuters / international
In Turkey, a woman is killed by her son-in-law despite repeated appeals to the police. In Slovakia,
a woman's complaint of domestic violence falls on deaf ears, and her husband ends up killing their
two children and himself. As many as one in three women across the European Union (EU) have
experienced some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, according to a survey by an
EU rights group. However, a convention which came into force on Friday, may help to address the
widespread problem of violence against women across Europe, campaigners say.
The Istanbul Convention outlines minimum standards to prevent, prosecute and protect women
from rape and physical violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), stalking, forced abortion, honour
violence and forced marriage.
"Beaten, raped, harassed or subjected to female genital mutilation, many women and girls in
Europe suffer in silence as they are denied the means to extricate themselves from situations they
view as hopeless," Michael Bochenek, Amnesty International's director of law and policy, said.
"Ratifying and implementing the Istanbul Convention ... is about remedying existing injustices and
preventing further violations of women's human rights," he said in a statement.
The convention was adopted in 2011 by all 47 Council of Europe members, which includes
western and central European states as well as Turkey and some countries in the former Soviet
Union. So far, 36 states have signed the convention but only 14 have ratified it.
"All need to act now to improve the lives of the many women and girls who are subjected to
violence, simply because of their gender," Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland
said in a statement, urging remaining member states to sign and ratify the convention.
IMPROVING LAWS
Once a state has ratified the convention, it is supposed to introduce measures to prevent violence
against women, protect victims and prosecute offenders.
According to the Council of Europe, more forms of violence against women have become criminal
offences in recent years in line with the convention's recommendations.
Poland criminalised stalking in 2011. France made it illegal for someone to force another person to
undergo FGM in 2013, and Britain criminalised forced marriage in June of this year.
However, Estonia and Ukraine still do not criminalise all forms of sexual assault against partners,
according to the Council of Europe. Ukraine and Latvia are also the only countries where nonconsensual sex was not necessarily a criminal offence, the Council said.
In addition to strengthening laws, the convention requires countries to provide services including
shelters, counselling and legal aid. But this varies greatly between member states.
In Norway, there are 36.4 shelter beds per 100,000 people, while in Italy, Czech Republic,
Bulgaria, Ukraine and Poland that number is less than one.
Estonia and Hungary are the only countries where police do not regularly receive training when
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they start the job on prevention and intervention in cases of violence against women.
"Even if we have much better legislation, we need the training of police and prosecutors," said Eha
Reitelmann, a women's rights activist in Estonia, which has yet to sign the Istanbul Convention.
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Hatályba lépett az Isztambuli Egyezmény
04/08/2014 - MTI / Hirado / Hungary
Hatályba lépett augusztus 1-jén, pénteken az Európa Tanács (ET) úgynevezett Isztambuli
Egyezménye, amelynek célja a nők ellen irányuló erőszak minden formájának felszámolása.
Az egyezmény hatálybalépésének feltétele az volt, hogy legalább 10 aláíró országnak, köztük
a 47 tagállamot számláló Európa Tanács legalább nyolc tagállamának ratifikálnia kellett a
dokumentumot. Augusztus 1-ig összesen 36 ország írta alá, közülük pedig 14-en már
ratifikálták is a nemzetközi szerződést, amelyhez nem csak az ET tagországai
csatlakozhatnak, hanem a világ bármely állama.
A dokumentum meghatározza, hogy a ratifikáló országoknak konkrét jogi rendelkezéseket kell
hozniuk, amelyek a nők ellen irányuló erőszak megakadályozását, felszámolását szolgálják, a
szexuális zaklatástól kezdve a családon belüli erőszakon át egészen a kényszerházasságokig
és a női nemi szervek megcsonkításáig. Az egyezmény passzusainak betartását,
megvalósítását pedig nemzetközi szakértői csoport fogja ellenőrizni.
Az egyezmény alapján elfogadott rendelkezések az ET szerint növelik majd a nők védelmét,
valamint hozzájárulnak az ellenük irányuló erőszak mérsékléséhez, több erőszaktevő ellen
indulhat nyomozás, büntető eljárás, s többen kerülhetnek az elkövetők közül végül rács mögé.
"Mindenkinek cselekednie kell, hogy javuljon annak a sok nőnek az élete, akik erőszak
áldozataivá válnak pusztán azért, mert nők" - jelentette ki a hatálybalépéssel összefüggésben
Thorbjorn Jagland, az Európa Tanács főtitkára.
Nem írta alá még az egyezményt az Európa Tanács tagállamai közül Örményország,
Azerbajdzsán, Bulgária, Ciprus, Csehország, Észtország, Írország, Lettország, Liechtenstein,
Moldova és Oroszország. Aláírta ugyan, de még nem ratifikálta Belgium, Horvátország,
Finnország, Grúzia, Németország, Görögország, Magyarország, Izland, Litvánia, Luxemburg,
Monaco, Hollandia, Norvégia, Lengyelország, Románia, San Marino, Szlovákia, Szlovénia,
Svájc, Macedónia, Ukrajna és az Egyesült Királyság. Az Isztambuli Egyezmény Albánia,
Andorra, Ausztria, Bosznia-Hercegovina, Dánia, Olaszország, Montenegró, Portugália,
Szerbia, Spanyolország és Törökország számára lép hatályba a mai napon. A dokumentumot
júliusban ratifikáló Franciaország, Málta és Svédország számára pedig november 1-jén válik
majd kötelezővé az egyezményben foglaltak betartása.
Az Európa Tanács nemek egyenlőségével foglalkozó bizottsága áttekintést is készített arról,
hogy állnak a szervezet tagállamai a nők elleni erőszak felszámolásának terén, s arra a
megállapításra jutott, hogy vannak ígéretes kezdeményezések, de találhatóak még
hiányosságok is.
Magyarország esetében a tanulmány arra világított rá, hogy Magyarország az ET kilenc olyan
tagállamának egyike, hat másik uniós taggal együtt, ahol a törvény még nem garantálja, hogy
az ügyész a családon belüli erőszak minden formája esetén büntetőeljárást indíthasson. Hat
másik ET- és négy másik EU-taggal együtt Magyarországon a jog még nem írja elő, hogy az
ügyészség a szexuális erőszak minden formája ellen felléphet büntető eljárással. A tanulmány
szerint nyolc másik ET-tagállam mellett, de uniós tagállamként egyedüliként Magyarországon
nem foglalkozik professzionális szakértők által bonyolított intervenciós program az erőszakot
elkövető férfiakkal. A bizottság emellett úgy találta, hogy Magyarország egyike annak a két
uniós tagállamnak, ahol a rendőrök nem kapnak külön rendszeres szakmai képzést, hogyan
lépjenek fel a nők ellen irányuló erőszak esetén, miként avatkozzanak be ilyen esetekben,
vagy milyen módon akadályozzák meg az erőszakot.
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Les Etats appelés à agir avec diligence contre la violence à l'égard
des femmes
04/08/2014 - Libe.ma / Morocco
C’est vendredi dernier que le Traité d'Istanbul, premier texte du genre visant la prévention et la
lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique, est entré en vigueur.
L’occasion de soulever un phénomène qui ne peut être ignoré, une pratique répandue dans
notre société et aussi une réalité qui a un coût économique et social.
Entre Abdelillah Benkirane, secrétaire général du PJD - et chef du gouvernement -, qui
«dénigre» les femmes et Thorbjorn Jagland, le secrétaire général du Conseil de l'Europe, qui
défend bec et ongles les femmes en lançant un appel « à tous les Etats à agir maintenant afin
d'améliorer la vie des nombreuses femmes et filles qui sont victimes de violences », on peut dire
que le la est donné. En effet, ce dernier a adressé un message vidéo encourageant les Etats
membres qui ne l'ont pas encore fait à signer et ratifier la Convention sur la prévention et la lutte
contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique.
Elaboré par le Conseil de l'Europe, ce traité, ouvert à la signature dans la ville d'Istanbul il y a
trois ans, oblige les Etats qui l'ont ratifié à prendre des mesures spécifiques pour lutter contre
toutes les formes de violence à l'égard des femmes, notamment par la formation des
professionnels qui sont en contact étroit avec les victimes, le lancement de campagnes
régulières de sensibilisation, l'inclusion dans les cursus pédagogiques des sujets tels que
l'égalité des sexes et la résolution non violente de conflits dans les relations interpersonnelles,
l'élaboration des programmes thérapeutiques pour les auteurs de violence domestique et les
délinquants sexuels, le travail avec des ONG et l'implication des médias et du secteur privé
dans l'élimination des stéréotypes de genre et dans la promotion du respect mutuel.
Que de bonnes résolutions et desseins projetés qui font même pâlir de jalousie bon nombre de
nos concitoyens et concitoyennes qui n’ont pas encore accusé le coup des propos de Benkirane
(à titre d’exemple quand il a traité, dernièrement, les femmes marocaines de «lustres») à
l’encontre de la femme
D’aucuns diront que Benkirane a la poisse avec ses sorties démesurées et «non maîtrisées»,
mais les plus avertis savent pertinemment que quand les mots dépassent la pensée, c’est
toujours trop tard. Le mal étant déjà fait et la triste vérité est dite. Un houleux débat a été
déclenché suite aux propos de notre Benkirane, ce qui a suscité, et à juste titre, plusieurs
réactions. L’on imagine, par conséquent, que les répliques de nos concitoyens en cas de
maltraitance se doivent d’être plus renforcées. Que nenni! L’on ne se bouscule pas au portillon
pour défendre la femme en tout cas ! Effectivement, l’état des lieux de la situation d’après la
dernière enquête nationale du Haut-commissariat au plan (HCP) sur la prévalence de la
violence à l’égard des femmes dévoile l’horreur des chiffres tragiques et résultat des courses: du
chemin reste à parcourir. Que la prise de conscience collective reste encore à poindre.
En effet, selon le rapport de 2009: «Près de 8,7% des femmes âgées de 18 à 64 ans (827.000
femmes) ont été exposées, au moins une fois, à un acte de violence sexuelle avec
attouchement au cours des 12 mois précédant l'enquête nationale. Ce taux est de 9,8% en
milieu urbain et de 7,1% en milieu rural».
Des interrogations fusent par conséquent, les Marocains sont présents pour scander haut et fort
leur désapprobation mais ils sont absents pour admettre que la femme n’est pas juste la
cinquième roue du carrosse et qu’elle fait même partie intégrante de la société, qu’on le veuille
ou non. On lui doit le respect et la reconnaissance tout court. Et surtout ne pas tomber dans
l’impair à l’instar du vice-Premier ministre turc Bulent Arinç qui a suscité une polémique sur les
réseaux sociaux du pays en affirmant lundi dernier «qu’une femme doit conserver une droiture
morale, elle ne doit pas rire fort en public». Et d’ajouter: "L'homme doit être moral, la femme
aussi, elle doit savoir ce qui est décent et ce qui ne l'est pas. Qu'est-il advenu de ces femmes
qui rougissent légèrement, baissent la tête et détournent le regard quand on observe leur
visage, représentant ainsi un symbole de chasteté?"
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Ce discours a provoqué un tollé et la plupart, hommes et femmes, sont indignés. Voilà qui n’a
pas, au moins, laissé de marbre les Turques. Mais qu’est-ce qu’ils ont tous ces hommes à ne
pas savoir ce qu’ils veulent au fond ?! Un retour en arrière, à l’époque où la femme ne pouvait
même pas dévoiler son visage et encore moins s’exprimer ou qu’elle participe au
développement
politique,
économique,
sociétal
et
culturell
d’un
pays?
Mais comme dit le dicton: «C’est les petites rivières qui font les grands fleuves», et
heureusement que des personnalités émergent du lot à l’instar de la présidente de l'Assemblée
parlementaire du Conseil de l'Europe (APCE), Anne Brasseur qui a déclaré à Strasbourg, que la
Convention d'Istanbul consacre l'ensemble le plus avancé et le plus complet de normes
internationales en matière de lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence
domestique et qu'elle constitue une "pièce maîtresse du système de protection des droits de
l'Homme".
L'objectif de ladite conférence, avec la participation des organisations internationales, des Etats
(dont le Maroc) et de la société civile, vise à mettre en évidence l'approche globale qu'elle
applique à la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et à encourager les Etats membres et
les autres Etats ayant participé à l'élaboration de la Convention à la signer et à la ratifier.
Vivement que le Maroc suive le pas! Mais au-delà de ce vœu, il est des réalités qui risquent de
coûter cher à notre pays, si elles ne sont pas prises à bras-le-corps.
UK urged to ratify treaty on domestic violence
03/08/2014 - The Observer / UK
Britain has been accused of failing to follow up its rhetoric on combating violence against
women by not ratifying a treaty aimed at providing greater protection for victims of abuse.
Campaigners are pushing the UK to ratify a European convention that obliges governments to
take measures to counter domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage and stalking. They
believe that, although ministers say they are committed to tackling these issues, prevarication
on formally sanctioning the Council of Europe treaty undermines such a pledge.
So far, 14 European states have committed to improving measures to tackle violence against
women through the Istanbul Convention, including Italy, Turkey, Serbia and Albania. The UK is
among a number of nations to have signed but not ratified the convention, drawn up by the
continent's leading human rights body.
Gauri van Gulik, the global women's rights advocate for campaign group Human Rights Watch,
said: "I don't see why it's not been initiated yet - that indicates to me that there's not enough
political will [in the UK] to push it through."
She said the approach contrasted sharply with the political urgency displayed by former foreign
secretary William Hague during the recent Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict
that was hosted by Britain. Gulik added: "We haven't seen the same kind of fervour as we've
seen with Hague at the summit."
A spokesman for the 47-nation Council of Europe said: "It would have been great to have seen
the UK among the states that have ratified, but we are confident it will ratify this year."
by Mark Townsend and Becky Wilson
Turkish Press focuses on Istanbul Convention
03/08/2014 - Worldbulletin / Anadolu Agency Turkey
Most Turkish newspapers are reporting the coming into effect of a Council of Europe treaty
designed to end domestic violence.
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HURRIYET runs the headline “Historical day for women,” reporting that the ‘Istanbul
Convention’, signed by Turkey in 2011, will count any kind of abuse – physical, economic,
psychological or sexual – from a partner or husband (even if the couple live together or apart) as
“domestic violence”.
The front page of today’s MILLIYET reads: “Right of asylum is the remedy for violence,” adding
that women suffering domestic abuse will have the right to take refuge in one of the countries
that signed the treaty. The newspaper reported that Turkey, Albania, Austria, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Andorra, France and Sweden are signatories.
VATAN quoted Gulsun Bilgehan, an MP from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s
Party saying that 189 women were killed in Turkey in 2013 and 129 at the first six months of
2014 in domestic violence. Bilgehan said that violence against women is also a problem also in
developed countries: “Last year in Sweden 80 women were killed, 45 in Spain and 36 in
Portugal.”
Independent expert group to tackle violence
3/08/2014 - Agence Europe / international
The Council of Europe's convention against violence against women will come into force on 1
August 2014 now that Andorra ratified it on 23 April (see EUROPE 11131). It has now been
signed by 23 countries and ratified by 11 of them, thus achieving the stage of being quorate. This,
however, is only a first step because it has been accompanied by a rather alarming analysis of
policies in place in the 47 Council of Europe member countries.
Only Germany, Andorra, Denmark and Norway have introduced measures to tackle all types of
violence against women listed in the convention, while five countries (Armenia, Bulgaria, Estonia,
Luxembourg and Turkey) only target violence against women at home or in the family.
Domestic violence is not covered by legislation allowing criminal investigations in nine countries,
six of which are EU member states: Azerbaijan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Ukraine, Bulgaria, la Croatia, Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia.
Countries like France and Belgium come in for criticism because the number of places in
sheltered housing for victims of domestic violence is below the recommended one per 10,000
inhabitants. Belgium has 0.73 per 10,000 inhabitants, and France 0.24. At the bottom of the table
is Italy (0.09), the Czech Republic (0.085), Bulgaria (0.08), Ukraine, (0.04) and Poland (0.01).
Norway, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Andorra, the
Netherlands and Ireland have above the recommended number, three times higher for the first
three countries.
Other gaps noted in the Council of Europe report include the lack of independent support services
to help victims lodge complaints or give witness. This is the case in Georgia, Poland and Serbia.
Andorra, Azerbaijan, Finland and Poland do not provide any protection or help to children who
have witnessed violence against their mother.
Estonia and Hungary do not provide any special training for police officers and Latvia and Ukraine
say that some types of sexual acts on non-consenting people are not a crime. Armenia has no
criminal penalties for any of the forms of violence against women listed by the Council of Europe.
The list of shortcomings is very long and the Council of Europe has announced that the study
carried out in connection with the entry into force of the convention on prevention and tackling
violence against women and domestic violence is a first stage in the process of setting up an
independent group of experts - known as GREVIO - to report on respect of the Convention by
Council of Europe member countries, as was done for the convention on tacking torture, human
trafficking and corruption.
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Members of GREVIO have not yet been elected but it will meet for the first time in 2015. It will
hold discussions with NGOs and national parliaments and will travel to countries if insufficient
information is supplied. The Council of Europe says that it intends to play its full leadership role
on observance of fundamental rights with the passing of this directive that seeks to harmonise
prevention, protection and sanction policies and the convention is fully and properly implemented.
The convention defines and sets penalties for the various types of violence against women and
domestic violence. In order to implement the convention, participating countries need to introduce
new crimes such as psychological and physical violence, sexual violence, rape, persecution,
female genital mutilation, forced marriage, forced abortion and forced sterilisation. Participating
countries must ensure that culture, traditions and “honour” are not used as justification for
violence against women.
Convention on violence against women enters into force
03/08/2014 - EUOBSERVER / international
A convention on preventing and combating violence against women from the Council of Europe, a
Strasbourg-based human rights watchdog, enters into force. It requires governments to counter
all forms of violence against women. Only six EU member states have so far ratified it.
Europe targets violence against women
03/08/2014 - Shanghai Daily / China
THE Council of Europe is taking new steps to combat violence against women under a newly
ratified convention that came into force yesterday.
Fourteen European states are committing themselves to better fight violence against women after
signing the so-called “Istanbul Convention.”
The convention came into force yesterday in 11 member states (Turkey, Albania, Italy,
Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Austria, Andorra, Spain, Denmark) and will be
joined by France, Sweden and Malta in November.
“Violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations which take
place every day in Europe,” said Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human
Rights.
The convention obliges governments to take measures to counter domestic violence, forced
marriage, stalking and sexual violence.
At least 12 women are killed by gender-related violence in Europe every day, according to the
Council of Europe. In 2013 domestic violence claimed the lives of 121 women in France, 134 in
Italy and 143 in the United Kingdom, according to national statistics.
The convention also targets female genital mutilation, forced abortion and forced sterilization,
sexual harassment, and crimes committed in the name of “honor.”
Independent experts will monitor governments' compliance with the convention.
Another 22 nations in the 47-member Council of Europe — the continent’s leading human rights
body — have signed the convention but not yet ratified it. Eleven have so far ignored it, including
Russia.
La Convention d'Istanbul sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence
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à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique entre aujourd'hui en
vigueur
03/08/2014 - Bulletin Quotidien / France
La Convention d'Istanbul sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la
violence domestique entre aujourd'hui en vigueur La Convention d'Istanbul sur la prévention et la
lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique entre aujourd'hui en
vigueur
La Convention du Conseil de l'Europe sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des
femmes et la violence domestique entre aujourd'hui en vigueur. Ce texte est également appelé
"Convention d'Istanbul", car il a été ouvert à la signature dans cette ville il y a trois ans.
Il oblige les Etats qui l'ont ratifié à prendre des mesures spécifiques pour lutter contre toutes les
formes de violence à l'égard des femmes : viols et violences sexuelles, violences perpétrées au
sein de la famille ou du foyer, harcèlement sexuel, mutilations génitales féminines, violences en
situation de conflit ou d'après-conflit, violences en milieu institutionnel, non respect du droit au
libre choix en matière de procréation (avortements forcés, stérilisations forcées), meurtres
d'honneur et mariages forcés ou précoces. Par ce texte, les Etats signataires s'engagent à
considérer comme des délits ou des crimes les violences contre les femmes et les enfants, et à
les poursuivre pénalement en conséquence. La convention précise que la religion, les traditions
ou des concepts comme "l'honneur" ne peuvent jamais servir d'excuses à des faits de violences.
La mise en œuvre de ce texte "ne pouvait pas mieux tomber" car "la violence contre les femmes
demeure l'une des violations des droits de l'homme les plus répandues au quotidien en Europe",
a souligné mardi le commissaire aux droits de l'homme de l'organisation paneuropéenne Nils
MUIZNIEKS.
Parmi les pays membres du Conseil de l'Europe, seuls treize Etats l'ont ratifié : l'Albanie, Andorre,
l'Autriche, la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le Danemark, l'Espagne, la France, l'Italie, le Monténégro, le
Portugal, la Serbie, la Suède et la Turquie. La France et la Suède, qui l'ont ratifiée début juillet,
l'appliqueront à partir de novembre.
En France, la Convention qui a été ratifiée le 4 juillet n'entrera en effet en vigueur que le premier
jour du mois suivant l'expiration d'une période de trois mois après la date du dépôt de l'instrument
de ratification, soit le 1er novembre. La législation française étant déjà très largement conforme à
cette Convention, seuls quelques aménagements ont été nécessaires : incrimination de la
tentative d'interruption volontaire de grossesse (IVG) sans violence, de l'incitation d'un mineur à
subir une mutilation sexuelle, de l'incitation à faire subir une mutilation à un mineur, et de la
tromperie d'une personne pour qu'elle quitte le territoire national afin d'être soumis à l'étranger à
un mariage forcé. Ils sont contenus dans les articles 19 et 20 de la loi du 5 août 2013 portant
diverses dispositions d'adaptation dans le domaine de la justice en application du droit de l'Union
européenne et des engagements internationaux de la France (cf. "BQ" du 21 février 2013).
Vingt-trois autres Etats du Conseil de l'Europe ont signé ce texte, mais ne l'ont pas encore ratifié.
Il s'agit de l'Allemagne, la Belgique, la Croatie, la Finlande, la Géorgie, la Grèce, la Hongrie,
l'Islande, la Macédoine, la Lituanie, le Luxembourg, Malte, Monaco, la Norvège, les Pays-Bas, la
Pologne, la Roumanie, le Royaume-Uni, Saint-Marin, la Slovaquie, la Slovénie, la Suisse et
l'Ukraine.
Enfin, onze pays n'ont toujours pas signé la Convention d'Istanbul : l'Arménie, l'Azerbaïdjan, la
Bulgarie, Chypre, l'Estonie, l'Irlande, la Lettonie, le Liechtenstein, la Moldavie, la République
Tchèque et la Russie.
Les Etats, les ONG et la société civile célébreront l'entrée en vigueur de la Convention le 19
septembre à Rome lors d'une conférence internationale organisée par le Conseil de l'Europe, le
ministère italien des Affaires étrangères et la Chambre des députés italienne. L'un des points
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forts de la Convention - qui est ouverte à tous les pays du monde - réside dans la création d'un
groupe d'experts indépendant qui rendra compte du respect de ses normes par les Etats.
Violences faites aux femmes : l'Europe accélère la marche
03/08/2014 - Journal des Femmes / France
Prévenir la violence à l'encontre des femmes est un combat que l'Europe veut désormais mener
grâce à la convention d'Istanbul, qui entre en vigueur ce vendredi 1er août.
"Frappées, violées, harcelées ou soumises à des mutilations génitales féminines, de nombreuses
femmes et jeunes filles vivant en Europe souffrent en silence, privées des moyens de s'extraire
de situations qu'elles considèrent sans espoir. L'Europe doit prendre conscience de cette réalité",
a déclaré Michael Bochenek, directeur du programme Droit et politique d'Amnesty International.
Les violences faites aux femmes sont dans le collimateur des instances européennes : la
convention d'Istanbul est entrée en vigueur vendredi 1er août. Depuis le 11 mai 2011, elle a été
adoptée par les 47 pays membres du Conseil de l'Europe, signée par 36 d'entre eux et ratifiée
(l'étape finale et la plus contraignante) par 13, comme l'Espagne, la France, la Serbie ou encore
la Turquie.
A quoi servira réellement ce projet européen ? D'abord, à favoriser le changement de mentalité
avec la lutte contre les stéréotypes de genre sur les femmes. Des professionnels seront formés
pour aider les victimes, tout en collaborant avec les organisations non gouvernementales. Des
centres d'accueil, d'écoute et d'orientation seront mis en place pour ne laisser aucune d'entre
elles à l'abandon. Avec ça, le droit d'asile pourra permettre à une femme de demander une
protection à un autre Etat que le sien, si elle ne se sent pas bien informée ou protégée dans son
pays d'origine. "La convention d'Istanbul est un outil puissant qui vise à lutter efficacement contre
cette vaste violation des droits humains qui gâche la vie à des millions de femmes au quotidien
en Europe. Les gouvernements d'Europe et d'Asie centrale doivent désormais faire preuve de
volonté politique, en adoptant des mesures concrètes ", d'après le directeur du même
programme.
Grâce à la persévérance de la ministre des Droits des femmes, de la Ville et des Sports, Najat
Vallaud-Belkacem, la France a ratifié, le 4 juillet dernier, la convention qui entrera en vigueur
dans 3 mois. Ce projet entre dans le quatrième plan interministériel pour lutter contre les
violences faites au sexe féminin et pour l'égalité réelle entre les femmes et les hommes, qui a été
validé jeudi 31 juillet par le Conseil constitutionnel.
D'après Amnesty International, une femme sur trois a déjà été victime de violences physiques ou
sexuelles depuis ses 15 ans au sein de l'Union Européenne : mutilation, viol, harcèlement, coups
ou meurtre. Une lacune pour la protection des droits des femmes en Europe vient d'être comblée.
Violenza sulle donne, l'Italia è indietro
03/08/2014 - L'Espresso / Italy
Calano i delitti, ma manca protezione
Il Consiglio d'Europa pubblica un rapporto sulle attività dei paesi Ue per il contrasto ai
maltrattamenti. E noi siamo in fondo alle classifiche: pochi posti letto, poca prevenzione, poca
formazione. Anche se le leggi ci sono. E gli omicidi per la prima volta sembrano in diminuzione.
Mentre continua la polemica sui fondi
di Francesca Sironi
Qualcosa sta cambiando. La lotta alla violenza sulle donne - endemica in Italia e in Europa – sta
coinvolgendo le istituzioni. E non solo per dichiarazioni spot davanti alle telecamere. Ma per la
ricerca di effetti concreti: leggi, corsi di formazione, monitoraggio degli interventi. Ad occuparsi di
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quest'ultimo punto, nella Ue, è il Concilio d'Europa. Che oggi ha pubblicato una lunga relazione
sull'attività, per l'appunto, istituzionale, di più di quaranta paesi. Dal rapporto emerge che anche
l'Italia si è mossa per contrastare le botte di genere. Ma non abbastanza. Perché veniamo dopo
il Portogallo, la Slovacchia, l'Albania, l'Irlanda e l'Estonia ad esempio per numero di letti a
disposizione delle vittime per le emergenze: 560 nel 2013, contro i 9000 della Gran Bretagna,
che ha una popolazione di poco superiore alla nostra. O i 2200 dell'Olanda, i 6800 della
Germania. Ed è solo uno dei ritardi che abbiamo. Gli altri riguardano la formazione degli
operatori (magistrati e poliziotti che intervengono sul posto), il coinvolgimento delle associazioni,
la pubblicazione di dati e statistiche ufficiali (attraverso le informazioni delle forze dell'ordine ad
esempio) sulla violenza: in Italia esistono ma non sono accessibili.
Assunta Cignano, uccisa dall'ex marito a marzo
Nelle 80 pagine di approfondimento, i ricercatori del Consiglio d'Europa riassumono le
esperienze e gli strumenti messi in campo dagli stati per combattere i soprusi. Guardando agli
effetti concreti che portano. Come aveva raccontato anche l'Espresso nel novembre scorso,
sottolineano come la possibilità di successo sia legata soprattutto alla velocità d'intervento. Solo
misure immediate, processi rapidi, risposte concrete di protezione nei confronti delle vittime
possono fermare i violenti. Uno degli esempi citati è l'Austria, dove gli agenti – che seguono
corsi dedicati – possono imporre subito obblighi di allontanamento, e sono chiamati a controllare
che i divieti siano rispettati. Funziona? Secondo i dati riportati da Redattore Sociale, i
femminicidi in Italia si sarebbero dimezzati, in questi primi sei mesi dell'anno, rispetto allo
scorso. Ma è un risultato ancora non ufficiale e difficile quindi da verificare.
Per superare il divario che ci separa dagli altri paesi Ue, intanto, il governo Renzi ha stanziato
17 milioni di euro. Soldi che dovrebbero servire ad aumentare la disponibilità di posti nei centri
d'accoglienza e i punti di contatto con le vittime di abusi. Ma sul “come” sono stati distribuiti
questo fondi è scoppiata la polemica. Il piano infatti - approvato poche settimane fa dalla
Conferenza delle Regioni – prevede che la maggior parte dei finanziamenti vadano alle Regioni,
che apriranno delle gare per scegliere a chi inviare i contributi. Ai centri anti-violenza esistenti,
67 solo quelli riuniti nella rete “Di.re”, non andranno che le briciole: seimila euro ciascuno se va
bene. E sì che questi sono i luoghi dove negli ultimi decenni si è affrontato, nel silenzio dei
governi, il problema: offrendo supporto legale, psicologico, e dando spazio alle donne che
avevano la forza di allontanarsi dagli orchi. Da Bologna a Roma, sono iniziate così le proteste di
volontari ed esperti del settore, preoccupati all'idea che i fondi (necessari, vista la mancanza di
protezione che le strutture pubbliche possono dare oggi alle vittime) finiscano in rivoli e progetti
secondo interessi più politici che ideali.
Las víctimas podrán recurrir contra la libertad condicional de sus
agresores; Los hijos de maltratadas recibirán la misma protección que
sus madres
03/08/2014 - La Vanguardia / Spain
Las primeras líneas se esbozaron en octubre del 2013; su contenido, el pasado martes, y ayer
recibió el visto bueno del Consejo de Ministros, antes de iniciar el correspondiente trámite
parlamentario. Se trata del Estatuto de las Víctimas de Delitos, que tiene como principal objetivo
eliminar la “doble victimización” que sufre este colectivo; la primera cuando padece en sus
propias carnes el delito y, la segunda, cuando su voz es ahogada a consecuencia de la
burocracia, los reconocimientos y las constantes declaraciones a las que se ven sometidas.El
estatuto pretende evitar que estas personas no revivan durante el proceso judicial el dolor que
padecieron, evitando el encuentro de las víctimas y sus familias con el agresor.
¿Cómo? Tal como explicaron el pasado martes los ministros de Justicia, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón;
Interior, Jorge Fernández Díaz, y la ministra de Sanidad y Servicios Sociales, Ana Mato,
ofreciendo a las víctimas de cualquier delito protección, información, asistencia y apoyo a lo largo
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de todo el proceso penal, prorrogable en el tiempo.
Esto se traduce en el derecho de las víctimas a estar acompañadas y a ser notificadas sobre la
causa abierta por el delito que sufrieron. Además, podrán recibir información sobre cuándo se
celebrará el juicio, las sentencias, los sobreseimientos, la adopción de medidas cautelares y de
libertad del encausado y las resoluciones que puedan poner en riesgo su seguridad como
víctimas.
De hecho, las víctimas de homicidio, terrorismo, tortura, robo con violencia o trata de seres
humanos podrán recurrir la libertad condicional del condenado, siempre y cuando las penas de
prisión sean superiores a los cinco años. O impugnar las resoluciones por las que el juez autorice
la posible clasificación del tercer grado antes del cumplimiento de la mitad de las condenas, así
como los beneficios penitenciarios autorizados.
En cuanto a las mujeres que han sufrido violencia de género,serán informadas en cada momento
de la situación del agresor, desde su puesta de libertad, o de su fuga o las medidas cautelares
adoptadas, incluso aunque no lo hayan solicitado. Esta es una de las medidas más demandadas
por las asociaciones de mujeres, entre ellas la que dirige Ana Bella, que lleva su mismo nombre.
Bella, sin embargo, dio especial trascendencia al artículo 10 del proyecto de ley, que señala que
los hijos menores que se encuentran en un entorno de violencia de género tendrán derecho a las
mismas medidas de asistencia y protección que las víctimas de estos delitos. “Esto ayudará a
muchas mujeres a denunciar” al ser visibilizados sus hijos como víctimas.
El Estatuto de Víctimas de Delitos fue aprobado el mismo día que entraba en vigor el convenio
del Consejo de Europa sobre prevención y lucha contra la violencia sobre la mujer y doméstica
(convenio de Estambul), que considera la violencia contra la mujer como una violación de los
derechos humanos y como una forma de discriminación. Este convenio llega a considerar
responsables a los estados si no responden de manera adecuada ante esta lacra social. El
convenio incluye como delito todas las formas de violencia contra la mujer: la violencia física,
psicológica y sexual, incluida la violación; la mutilación genital femenina, el acoso, los
matrimonios forzados y los abortos obligados, así como la esterilización realizada en contra de la
voluntad de la mujer.
Félix Vidal Anido, el violador del estilete, fue detenido de nuevo en abril por una presunta
agresión
Juez turco atenua pena de agresor machista al ver provocación en
usar mallas
03/08/2014 - EFE / Spain
Un tribunal del este de Turquía ha reconocido como atenuante en un caso de agresión
machista el que una mujer llevase unas mallas, lo cual constituía una "provocación", informó
hoy la cadena CNNTürk.
Un hombre, Turgay K., de 32 años, acuchilló a su esposa, con la que estaba en proceso de
divorcio tras tres años de matrimonio, al encontrarla en el coche de un amigo de ella.
La víctima logró salvar la vida debido a la rápida intervención de sus hermanos, que la
trasladaron a un hospital, donde fue intervenida de urgencia.
La acusación pidió 15 años de cárcel por intento de homicidio, pero un tribunal de la provincia
oriental de Erzurum rebajó la pena a 6 años y 3 meses al considerar que la mujer había
"provocado" a su aún marido por hallarse en el coche de su amigo vestida con mallas y
"ligeramente inclinada hacia él", según la sentencia.
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La violencia contra la mujer es un grave problema social en Turquía, donde mueren cada año
entre 200 y 250 mujeres por la violencia machista.
En los primeros seis meses de 2014 han muerto 129 mujeres por este mal, según el recuento
de una ONG.
Por otra parte, hoy entró en vigor la denominada Convención de Estambul, un Tratado del
Consejo de Europa que permite otorgar estatus de refugiadas a las mujeres que huyan de la
violencia machista.
El texto, ratificado hasta ahora por 14 países, entre ellos Turquía, España, Portugal e Italia,
prevé que no se deben invocar nunca razones de "honor", tradición o cultura para justificar
actos de violencia.
Feminism fails to confront rise of Sharia law
03/08/2014 - The Sunday Independent / Ireland
Carol Hunt asks why our political feminists ignore the suffering of their sisters under barbaric
legislation?
THERE was a lot of emotion on display in the Seanad during last week's passionate discussion
on the Israel/Hamas conflict.
Some of it was hysterical hyperbole, such as Marie Louise O'Donnell's rant against a "toothless
and insular Europe"; some was offensive, such as the Sinn Fein comment that "the English
were never coming to the table until Canary Wharf happened" but much was reasoned,
thoughtful and sincere.
The always impressive Averil Power said: "As a country we have always prided ourselves in
using our voice in international organisations like the UN to promote human rights and stand up
for the oppressed".
If only this were true. But it's not. Because just one week after the UN damned Ireland for its
inhumane treatment of vulnerable women, we are once again shamed in the eyes of our
neighbours.
Last week the Council of Europe brought into effect the Istanbul Convention which aims to
combat violence against women. Fourteen countries have so far ratified the convention and 36
states have signed it. Shamefully, Ireland has done neither. Where is the outcry from our
feminist women in the Oireachtas? Amongst other measures, the Istanbul Convention de-fines
and criminalises forced marriages, female genital mutilation and sexual violence. Recently, we
saw the first clinic open in Dublin to treat the almost 4,000 women here who have suffered from
female genital mutilation. Globally, FGM is on the rise, as are child marriages, honour killings
and forced gender segregation due to the increase in radical Islamism worldwide.
And yet western feminists, including our own female politicians who spoke so passionately last
week in the Seanad about Israel's crimes, are strangely silent on these topics. Why? Are they
afraid? Because it's "politically correct" not to mention the increasing gender apartheid in Gaza
for instance. Because you risk accusations of being "racist", "Islamophobic" or "bigoted" if you
dare voice concern at the rise in radical Islam and the corresponding destruction of human
rights for women and LGBT people. The popularity of "cultural relativism" in leftie, liberal circles
has led to a two-tier system of human rights.
In May, the Sultanate of Brunei introduced Islamic criminal (Sharia) law — including stoning for
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alleged adulterers. In April, the Hamas justice minister announced a new criminal code based
on Sharia into Gaza — where, according to Human Rights Watch activist Bill Van Esveld, "the
Hamas government is trying to shore up its image as an Islamic reform movement in the face of
challenges from more radical Islamist groups, is consolidating its social control by upping its
efforts to 'Islamacise' Gaza."
Meanwhile, according to the UN, the two countries which have seen the most disturbing rollbacks in women's rights in recent times are Afghanistan and Syria — both implementing radical
Sharia practices with greater and greater ferocity. Hilariously (not really) Iran, whom the UN has
accused of "introducing [Sharia] laws that permit gender discrimination and promote violence
against women", has a seat on the UN Women's Rights Commission (Status of Women).
But of course, when we speak about Sharia law we need to clarify exactly what it is. This is
difficult in that Sharia can differ widely in theory, practice and implementation across the Islamic
world.
For instance, there is much dispute about whether FGM is actually required under Sharia law or
not, some scholars insisting that it is a cultural rather than religious practice.
Therefore I quote the Sudanese Women's Rights activist Nahla Mahmoud on her experience an
Islamic regime: "It is important for me to clarify what I mean by Sharia," she begins. "To be
precise, I am discussing the laws and legislation which are already in the UK and abroad, not
theoretical or utopian ideals that only exist in the minds of those who defend and are usually in
favour of Sharia.
"Sharia discriminates against women ... a woman's testimony is worth half a man's in Islam. She
gets half the inheritance of her male siblings; a woman's marriage contract is between her male
guardian and her husband. A man can have four wives and divorce his wife by simple
repudiation ... child custody reverts to the father at a preset age, even if he is abusive. Girls are
eligible for marriage at their first period."
Mahmoud describes what is allowed under Sharia when it is radically implemented, including
marital rape, honour killings, violence against women, stonings, public floggings and child
marriage. She also mentions that fact that homosexuality is punishable in most Islamic states
with fines, public floggings or imprisonment — however in 10 Islamic states it is punishable by
death.
Mahmoud also notes that under Sharia law, a person who wishes to convert to another religion
or become an atheist is considered an apostate and can be sentenced to death. And, of course,
we've seen the escape of Christian Meriam Ibrahim from Sudan where she was sentenced to
death under their Sharia law.
No doubt, as suggested by Minister Charlie Flanagan last week, "Senator Averil Power will
acquaint herself with the attitude of Hamas [and other Islamic states] towards the treatment of
women and the imposition of Sharia law in certain parts of the region, about which we might not
be so vocal".
Only then can we truly begin to say that we use our voices to "promote human rights and stand
up for the oppressed".
Violence against women
03/08/2014 - InCyprus / Cyprus
The majority of those who fall victim to violence in Cyprus are women by about 80%, according to
13
the Cyprus Gender Research Centre.
The Cyprus Gender Research Centre (EKIF) in an announcement called for more measures to be
taken to stop sexual abuse, exploitation of women and minors and distribution of pornographic
material.
The announcement came within the framework of the Cabinet approving the bill on the prevention
and combating of sexual abuse of children as well as child pornography.
The bill aims to replace outdated legislation with regard to the status of victims in criminal
procedures.
Cyprus was recently shocked by a child sex abuse scandal involving two men – one being a
prominent Larnaca businessman - convicted of sexually exploiting two underage girls aged 14
and 15.
The EKIF announcement also came within the framework of the signing by 13 EU countries of the
Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic
violence.
EKIF said the fact that 13 EU countries signed the Council of Europe Convention on violence
against women is “a historical step for EU women”.
It said that “violence against wom en and girls should not be considered as a private issue but as
a political issue that concerns the welfare of a society based on human rights”.
The Centre argued that emphasis needs to be given to prevention of paedophilia through a
coordinated effort involving all carriers to include the family, school, media, police, the
government, local authorities and NGOs.
According to the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family, in a
period of just three years there were 81 cases reported concerning child sexual abuse.
In 2011 there were 28 cases of sexual abuse and 129 cases of physical abuse.
Some 80% of cases involved female victims.
According to the Association, in 2012, one in three Cypriot women (28%) fell victim to some form
of violence by their husband or partner. From those women who reported the cases, 77.7% were
victims of physical abuse, 19.1% of psychological abuse and 3.15% of sexual abuse.
According to the police, in 2012, there were 176 cases reported that concerned child abuse, 41
out of which concerned sexual abuse of minors.
Europe in push to stop violence against women
1/08/2014 - Associated Press / Bloomberg / international
Council of Europe is taking new steps to combat violence against women under a newly ratified
convention that comes into force Friday.
Fourteen European states are committing themselves to better fight violence against women
following the signature of the so-called "Istanbul Convention."
The convention comes into force on Friday in 11 member states (Turkey, Albania, Italy,
Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Austria, Andorra, Spain and Denmark) and will be joined
by France, Malta and Sweden in November.
"Violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations which take
place every day in Europe", said Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human
Rights, in a statement published this week.
The convention obliges governments to take measures to counter domestic violence, forced
marriage, stalking and sexual violence.
Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz: Stop violence against women!
01/08/2014 - APA / Austria
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Entry into force of the „Istanbul Convention“ is an important milestone
Vienna, 1 August 2014 - „Violence against women is a human rights violation with millions of
victims worldwide and grave consequences for society as a whole. The promotion and protection
of the human rights of women and the fight against violence are therefore long-standing priorities
of Austria’s foreign and development policy“, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said.
Today’s entry into force of the Council of Europe’s “Istanbul Convention” is a particularly important
milestone in the fight against violence. Austria has played an active role in the drafting process and
was among the first states that have ratified this important instrument. “During Austria's
Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe I actively supported an early
entering into force of this Convention. Austria will continue to lobby for an increased number of
state parties and for the full and effective implementation of the Convention“, Foreign Minister Kurz
underlined.
The Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was
adopted by the Council of Europe in May 2011. It is the first legally binding instrument requiring
states to take action against gender-specific and domestic violence. It provides comprehensive
measures to combat all forms of violence against women and to protect all other victims of
domestic violence.
15
Frauenhäuser in der Schweiz: überfüllt und unterfinanziert
23/07/2014 - SRF / Schweiz
Frauenhäuser können bei häuslicher Gewalt nicht immer Schutz leisten. Dies liegt oft auch am
System der Finanzierung. Politiker fordern eine nationale Strategie.
Jede fünfte Frau ist in ihrem Leben von häuslicher Gewalt betroffen. Die Folgekosten bezahlt auch
die Gesellschaft. Mindestens 164 Millionen Franken pro Jahr sind es gemäss einer Studie des
Bundes. In der Krise sollten Frauenhäuser Schutz bieten vor häuslicher Gewalt.
«Die Frauenhäuser in der Schweiz sind aber immer noch stark überbelegt», sagt Susan A. Peter,
Geschäftsführerin der Stiftung Frauenhaus Zürich und Vorstandsmitglied der Dachorganisation der
Frauenhäuser. Im Schnitt muss jede zweite Frau abgewiesen werden.
Fehler im System
Gleichzeitig stehen oft auch Betten leer, denn die Auslastung unterliegt starken Schwankungen.
«Das ist typisch für die Krisenintervention», so Peter. Es gibt keine Regel, wann Krisen passieren.
Genau daran scheitere auch das Finanzierungssystem im Kanton Zürich.
Nebst einem Fixbeitrag vom Kanton finanziert sich das Frauenhaus hauptsächlich über
Tagestaxen – Gelder, die nur für die effektiv belegten Betten bezahlt werden. «Wir sind also davon
abhängig, dass möglichst viele geschlagene Frauen zu uns kommen, das ist pervers», so Peter.
Zusammenarbeit mit Gemeinden harzt
Während der ersten 21 Tage gemäss Opferhilfegesetz vom Kanton, danach sind die Gemeinden
am Zug. Die durchschnittliche Aufenthaltsdauer im Frauenhaus Zürich beträgt 28 Tage. Genügend
Zeit sei wichtig, sagt Peter. «Die Frauen brauchen Ruhe und Stabilität, um ein neues Leben
aufzubauen, Anschlusslösungen zu finden.»
Nach Hause zurückkehren sei oft keine Lösung. «Die meisten Frauen kommen irgendwann
wieder», so Peter. Das ist für die Mitarbeitenden des Frauenhauses ein enormer Aufwand. Denn:
«Die Mitarbeitenden müssen die Gelder bei den Gemeinden auftreiben», so Peter. Nebst dem
Administrativen müsse oft auch Überzeugungsarbeit geleistet werden. «Das ist Zeit, die der Arbeit
mit den Menschen abgeht.»
Der Bund in der Pflicht
Für Nationalrätin Yvonne Feri (SP) müssen Bund, Kantone und Gemeinden besser
zusammenarbeiten. «Es braucht dringend eine nationale Strategie, damit wir schweizweit
genügend Plätze haben für gewaltbetroffene Frauen, Männer und Kinder.»
«Nicht jeder Kanton braucht ein Frauenhaus, aber die Zusammenarbeit muss funktionieren. Der
Bund soll hier eine führende koordinierende Rolle übernehmen», so Feri. Derzeit erhebt der Bund
die verschiedenen Finanzierungsmodelle für Frauenhäuser in einer Studie. Diese soll die
Grundlage für weitere Empfehlungen bilden. Die Resultate werden Ende Jahr erwartet.
Die Schweiz stehe aber auch international unter Druck. «Ein Bericht aus dem Europarat besagt,
dass in der Schweiz mindestens 400 Plätze fehlen», so Feri. Nun müsse der Bund vorwärts
machen. Das entsprechende Übereinkommen, die «Istanbul-Konvention», hat der Bundesrat
bereits letztes Jahr unterzeichnet. Nun müsse es ratifiziert werden.
16
Scharfe Kritik an Gesetz bei Vergewaltigung
21/07/2014 - Der Tagesspiegel / Deutschland
Bremen - Die Bremer Landesfrauenbeauftragte Ulrike Hauffe hat eine Reform des
Vergewaltigungs-Strafrechts gefordert. Die derzeitige Fassung des Paragrafen 177 im
Strafgesetzbuch spiele den Tätern in die Hände, weil er gravierende Lücken aufweise, kritisierte
Hauffe im Bremer Senatspressedienst. Nach aktueller Rechtslage spiele der fehlende Wille des
Opfers zum Sexualverkehr "keine Rolle, sondern es müssen für eine Strafbarkeit Faktoren wie
‚Gewalt‘, ‚Drohung mit gegenwärtiger Gefahr für Leib oder Leben‘ oder Ausnutzen einer
schutzlosen Lage gegeben sein". Die Europarats-Konvention zur Bekämpfung der Gewalt gegen
Frauen verlange, "nicht einverständliche sexuelle Handlungen" unter Strafe zu stellen. "Hier gibt es
dringenden Handlungsbedarf auf Bundesebene", meinte Hauffe.
Bereits im Mai hatte die internationale Frauenrechtsorganisation "Terre des Femmes" eine Reform
des Vergewaltigungs-Paragrafen gefordert und dem Bundesjustizministerium einen
entsprechenden Appell mit fast 30 000 Unterschriften überreicht.
Anlass für Hauffes Reformaufruf ist eine Statistik des Bremer Senats. Demnach registrierte die
Bremer und Bremerhavener Polizei in den vergangenen fünf Jahren 1 070 Anzeigen wegen
Vergewaltigung oder sexueller Nötigung. Lediglich 157 Beschuldigte wurden tatsächlich angeklagt
und nur gut die Hälfte von ihnen dann auch verurteilt. Sexualstraftäter müssten sich bei der
derzeitigen Rechtslage also "keine großen Sorgen machen, dass ihre Taten geahndet werden",
kommentierte die Landesfrauenbeauftragte die Zahlen. Eckhard Stengel
17
La 'Convention d'Istanbul'. Femme, la connais tu ? Et toi?
19/07/2014 - Mediapart / France
La "Convention d'Istanbul". Femme, la connais tu ? Et toi?
A partir du 1°Aout prochain : lutte contre la violence faite aux femmes. Enfin !
C’est le Conseil de l'Europe (COE) qui s’en est occupé ou au moins préoccupé, de la prévention et
de la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique du même coup.
Ce fut une grande nouvelle si, inlassablement, on ose espérer que cette annonce par la «
commission égalité et non-discrimination » lors de la 3ème partie de la session 2014 de l'APCE
(Assemblée Parlementaire du COE), il y a quelques jours à peine, sera suivie d’effet.
Une histoire ancienne.
Depuis la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale, nombre de déclarations internationales ne cessent de
proclamer l'égalité Homme-Femme: Charte des Nations -Unies (1945); DUDH(Déclaration
Universelle des Droits de l'Homme 1948). Mais il y a eu grand nombre de philosophes avant pour
« l’éclairage » .
Ces textes posent les fondements des droits des femmes, fondements ensuite renforcés par
d'autres textes tels que PIDCP (Pacte International relatif aux Droits Civils et Politiques), PIDESC
(Pacte International relatif aux Droits Economiques, Sociaux et Culturel,1966 ), la Convention de
l'ONU sur l'élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination à l'égard des femmes (CEDEF 1979)
.... La liste est longue, trop longue en regard de leur application.
Comme on le sait, il y a en effet souvent, loin des textes à la réalité: toutes ces belles intentions
n'ont apparemment pas fait notoirement régresser l'inégalité entre les sexes au plan mondial et à
peine un peu plus dans certains pays de l’Occident soi-disant éclairé, en Europe également, celle
des 47 qui nous occupe essentiellement ici.
Même s'il n'existe pas de données bien établies pour le vieux continent, une vue d'ensemble des
enquêtes menées dans de nombreux Etats membres permet d'estimer que un cinquième à un
quart des femmes sont victimes de violences physiques au moins une fois dans leur vie d'adulte.
Sans parler de la violence à l'égard des enfants. Même quand elle n'est pas directe, elle a souvent
un lien avec la maltraitance domestique dont sont victimes les femmes.
Il a fallu attendre les années 90, avec la Conférence mondiale sur les droits de l'Homme, à Vienne,
pour que la communauté des nations commence à se préoccuper de la situation sous la pression
d'organisations de femmes venues y assister, activement.
En décembre 1993, l'Assemblée Générale des Nations-Unies adoptait la Déclaration sur
l'élimination de la violence contre les femmes. Deux ans plus tard, la 4ème Conférence mondiale
sur les femmes à Beijing, (eh oui, en Chine) formulait des recommandations détaillées et
énergiques en faveur de la promotion et de la protection des droits fondamentaux des femmes.
Considérant que la violence à l'égard des femmes, y compris la violence domestique, représente
l'une des plus graves violations des droits de la personne fondée sur le genre, donc une forme de
discrimination, et qu'elle compromet les valeurs fondamentales sur lesquelles repose le Conseil de
l'Europe, celui-ci a lancé, dès 1993, une série d'initiatives qui a abouti à cette nouvelle Convention
ouverte à signature le 11 mai 2011. La ratification d'Andorre, le 22 avril 2014, fut la dixième
nécessaire à cette entrée en vigueur (d'autres ont suivi depuis)
Parmi ces initiatives: une campagne à grande échelle, menée à trois niveaux,
18
intergouvernemental, parlementaire et local, lancée en 2005.
Plusieurs recommandations et résolutions sont adoptées et couvrent l'éventail le plus large
possible des violences répertoriées: mutilations sexuelles féminines, crimes d'honneur, mariages
forcés et mariage d'enfants, agressions sexuelles liées aux" drogues du viol", féminicides, viol , y
compris le viol marital...
"Patience et longueur de temps font plus que force ni que rage" ?
Soit ! Mais quand il est question de la souffrance des femmes ...çà « urge ».
Une petite vingtaine d'années, c'est le minimum pour accoucher de la "Convention sur la
prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique", texte qui
complète et élargit les normes définies en la matière par d'autres organisations régionales.
Elargissement à l’ensemble du foyer, enfants et hommes inclus.
Ainsi est née la "Convention d'Istanbul".
Pourquoi Istanbul, s’étonnent certains ? Parce ce que ce texte a été adopté par le Comité des
Ministres du COE le 7 avril 2011 réuni à Istanbul et ouvert à la signature le 11 mai à partir de la
même ville.
Les 3 P.
La Convention repose sur la règle des 3 P, pour être méthodique.
- Prévention, qui passe par la sensibilisation du public afin de changer les comportements. Cette
phase comporte un travail avec les ONG, souvent très compétentes, les médias et différents
acteurs de la société civile.
- Protection qui s'adresse plutôt aux gouvernements habilités à mettre en oeuvre des mesures
visant à assurer la sécurité des victimes et leur apporter aide et soutien tant matériel que
psychologique
- Poursuites : la Convention établit, pour la première fois en Europe, des normes juridiquement
contraignantes en instaurant un certain nombre de nouvelles infractions pénales qui n'existaient
pas jusqu'alors dans le système juridique des états membres. Il faudrait y parvenir conjointement.
De nombreux pays n’ont pas attendu le vote de fin juin à Strasbourg pour déjà ratifier le texte et lui
donner force de loi.
C’est pourquoi, dans cette affaire, il faut souligner le rôle important du réseau parlementaire pour
"le droit des femmes de vivre sans violence" composé de 51 parlementaires qui militent activement
dans leurs pays respectifs afin de sensibiliser le public et modifier les législations. Son rapporteur
général est depuis 2O12 M. Mendes Bota ( Portugal, PPE/DC)qui propose à l'APCE d'adresser
des recommandations aux parlements nationaux, en s'inspirant des meilleurs modèles de
législations et pratiques observées dans les Etats membres
Alors : un texte de plus ?
On peut espérer que le mécanisme de suivi prévu dans ses lignes sera, comme il le prétend, l'un
de ses points forts : un groupe d'experts (GREVIO) indépendants et hautement qualifiés dans les
domaines des droits de l'Homme, de l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes, de la violence à
l'égard des femmes et de la violence domestique, du droit pénal... est chargé de veiller à la mise
en oeuvre de la convention par les Parties.
Reste que la Cour Européenne des Droits de l'Homme (CEDH), est le seul organisme capable
19
d'instaurer un véritable contrôle juridictionnel du respect des droits et libertés par les Etats. Seul
organisme aussi susceptible d’être saisi par des individus. Pourra-t-elle faire face aux nombreuses
requêtes supplémentaies qui lui seront adressées, elle qui, victime de son succès, est en
permanence engorgée, par des plaintes souvent beaucoup moins affligeantes.
Que les femmes et les organisations féminines particulièrement se fassent entendre de manière
plus pressante auprès de leurs Instances Nationales, ce qui soulagerait sans doute la Vieille Dame
Vénérée de Strasbourg ! Sans violence bien entendu.
Gervaise Thirion
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GB: Les mariages forcés érigés en délit passible de 7 ans de prison
16/06/2014 - 15:22 AFP
Contraindre quelqu'un à se marier en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles est, depuis lundi, passible
de sept ans de prison, avec l'entrée en vigueur d'une nouvelle législation.
Le mariage forcé a été érigé en infraction pénale par le "Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing
Act 2014", qui en condamne la pratique sur le sol britannique, mais également à l'étranger. Des
jeunes sont parfois emmenés dans le pays d'origine de leur famille, en Asie principalement, où ils
sont mariés sans leur consentement.
Le Royaume-Uni disposait jusqu'à présent de plusieurs outils juridiques tels que la possibilité pour
les tribunaux d'émettre des ordonnances de protection ainsi qu'une unité d'assistance spécifique
pour les cas de mariage forcé.
"La criminalisation (qui entre en vigueur) aujourd'hui est un pas supplémentaire de la part du
gouvernement pour s'assurer que les victimes sont protégées par la loi et qu'elles ont l'assurance,
la sécurité et la liberté de choisir", a déclaré la ministre de l'Intérieur Theresa May.
Le texte interdit d'exercer une pression physique, psychologique, financière, sexuelle ou
émotionelle dans le but d'aboutir à un mariage -civil ou religieux- non consenti par l'un des époux
ou les deux. Quant aux personnes inaptes à consentir elles-mêmes à un mariage, toute incitation,
même sans violence et sans pression, est perçue comme un délit.
Certains militants mettent néanmoins en garde contre les effets contre-productifs de ces nouvelles
mesures. "Les victimes vont être vraiment réticentes à agir si cela peut conduire à
l'emprisonnement de leurs parents ou d'autres membres de la famille", a précisé au Telegraph
Shereen Williams de la fondation Henna qui vient en aide aux victimes de mariages forcés depuis
une quinzaine d'années.
Ce changement de législation avait été annoncé par le premier ministre David Cameron en 2012. Il
avait alors qualifié les mariages forcés "d'odieux", les comparant à une forme d'"esclavage".
Le gouvernement britannique a également ratifié la Convention d'Istanbul contre la violence à
l'égard des femmes, qui demande aux signataires d'ériger en infraction pénale "le fait, lorsqu'il est
commis intentionnellement, de forcer un adulte ou un enfant à contracter un mariage".
L'unité d'assistance créée en 2005 (Forced Marriage Unit) a traité l'année dernière 1.302 cas de
mariages forcés (menaces ou unions déjà actées). Les victimes étaient des femmes dans 82% des
cas, contre 18% d'hommes. Les deux tiers (73%) étaient agés de moins de 21 ans. Sur le nombre
total de cas, 97 impliquaient des victimes handicapées.
Les différents cas traités avaient des liens avec 74 pays, notamment le Pakistan (42,7%), l'Inde
(10,9%) et le Bangladesh (9,8%).
21
Fitzgerald puts victims before property rights
08/06/2014 - The Sunday Times/ UK
THE government plans to legislate for a European convention on domestic violence, despite legal
advice that it may require a constitutional amendment.
The convention allows for emergency barring orders against perpetrators of domestic violence,
forcing them out of their homes in favour of victims with no ownership stake in the property. The
government has been warned that this could conflict with property rights in the Irish constitution. It
has also been advised that getting a referendum passed to amend these property rights cannot be
guaranteed.
Frances Fitzgerald, the justice minister, intends to introduce legislation to let Ireland sign the
convention. "I want Ireland to deal with this. It's an extremely serious issue," she said. "Lives are
destroyed by domestic violence and we need to support women in their homes."
More commonly known as the Istanbul convention, the Council of Europe code on preventing
violence against women and domestic violence is due to come into effect on August 1 in 11
countries. So far, 34 countries have signed it.
The convention expands the categories of people who can apply for emergency barring orders. At
present, Irish courts may not grant orders to parents of non-dependent adult children or cohabiting
partners if they do not own at least 50% of the home. The European convention does not make
home ownership a criterion.
Article 52 of the convention empowers the state to remove a perpetrator from the home to protect
anyone at risk of immediate danger. This conflicts with a Supreme Court judgment in October
2002, which ruled the measure had "draconian consequences".
The department said it was aware of potential legal issues, adding "these will fall to be considered
in the context of the government commitment to introduce consolidated and reformed domesticviolence legislation to address all aspects of domestic violence".
A spokesman said: "While some constitutional sensitivities have been flagged, this would not be
unusual in any significant legislative project. It would be premature and counter-productive to talk
about the need for a constitutional amendment. The department is working to produce legislative
and administrative measures which will allow us to ratify the convention."
Ivana Bacik, a Labour senator and law professor, said "it is arguable" whether a referendum is
needed, but she supports Fitzgerald's intention to proceed with legislation. "The phrase 'property
trumping equality' comes to mind," Bacik said.
Irish law has no specific offence of domestic violence
Justine McCarthy
22
Violence against women is pervasive because misogyny persists
29/05/2014 - Irish Independent/ Ireland
WOMEN are experiencing death by a thousand cuts in a culture that applauds misogynists as
heroes and tolerates sexist behaviour as the norm. Last week, a disturbed 22-year-old called Elliot
Rodger went on a murderous misogynistic rage in California. His manifesto made it clear he
believed sex with a woman was his absolute right. It hadn''t happened for him yet but how dare
they deny him? On his virgin day of retribution tour he killed seven people (four men, two women
and himself) and injured 13.
Soon after, a Facebook page was set up by an admirer entitled Elliot Rodger is an American Hero.
Despite complaints that a fan page for a mass murderer was inappropriate Facebook didn''t
remove it for three days.
(They have in the past taken down photos of breastfeeding mothers because they were
inappropriate).
Gender-based violence and abuse comes in many forms. It''s a spectrum of experience. Many
women and girls are so accustomed to street harassment, unwanted sexual contact and casual
sexism that they consider it just part of being a woman. This is reinforced when they''re told that
it''s no big deal or when their attempts to report it are ignored or downplayed.
Over the weekend many women on Twitter responded to the 'Virgin Rampage', using the
#YesAllWomen hashtag to tell their stories of misogyny, everyday harassment, abuse and assault.
More than 500,000 tweets were recorded in less than 24 hours. Many women in Ireland, including
me, participated to tell of their experiences: Emily Hughes @emilyhughes Because every single
woman I know has a story about a man feeling entitled to access her body. Every. Single. One.
#YesAllWomen Louise McSharry @louisemcsharry When I was 19 a middle-aged (man) sat down
on my lap on a busy Dart, fondled my breasts and licked my face. No one did anything. AnneMarie Flynn @thecailinrua I was grabbed between the legs in a club when I was 18. Security
laughed in my face. What man here wants that for their daughter? One in seven women in Ireland
have experienced severe abusive behaviour of a physical, sexual or emotional nature from a
partner at some time in their lives according to the National Crime Council.
It''s estimated that 213,000 women here have been severely abused by a partner says Women''s
Aid.
Despite this, funding for women''s and children''s shelters and for rape crisis centres is continually
being cut. The most comprehensive European legislation on domestic violence, the Istanbul
Convention, has also not been ratified by Ireland.
This convention would compel Ireland to monitor and report on domestic violence statistics and to
help women victims of violence.
Violence against women is pervasive because misogynistic attitudes towards women persist.
One in seven women in Ireland have experienced severe abusive behaviour...
The Council of Europe says violence against women is used to sustain male power and control.
"This is even more obvious if we look at the patchy attempts of the police, courts and social
services to help women victims which is seen in many countries across the world." Where does the
idea that women can be grabbed, humiliated, intimidated and put down in public come from? The
founder of the Everyday Sexism project, Laura Bates, told the Dublin Writer''s Festival last week
that the way we treat women in one sphere has a direct impact on the way we treat them in
another.
23
"So it doesn''t work to tackle the issue of under-representation of women in business and politics
without acknowledging the media depiction of women as dehumanised sex objects has a big
impact on the way the public sees politicians and decides who to vote for."
"It''s not until you put it all in one place and look at it all together and roll it out like a map in front of
you that you start to realise how one aspect can compound another aspect, and how in
combination they really can operate as a severe penalty on women''s aspirations, on women''s
freedom, on women''s achievements." The control, diminishment and abuse of women isn''t a new
problem. As Bernadette McAliskey pointed out at the Countess Markievicz summer school this
past weekend: "Why wasn''t Markievicz on the Proclamation?" Margaret E Ward is an
entrepreneur, journalist, broadcaster and founder of Women on Air. She is also CEO of Broadly
Speaking
Margaret E Ward
24
Human Rights Watch pide incluir el abuso económico en la violencia de
género
29/05/2014 - EFE/ Spain
Madrid, 29 may (EFE).- Human Rights Wath (HRW) ha pedido al Gobierno que incluya el abuso
económico en la definición de violencia de género, al entender que cuando una pareja o expareja
ejerce el control en la toma de decisiones y el uso de los recursos económicos crea una situación
de impotencia y dependencia a la mujer.
Además de la citada modificación en las leyes sobre violencia doméstica, HRW insta al Ejecutivo
español a elaborar recomendaciones específicas para los bancos y los servicios de mediación
para resolver situaciones en las que las mujeres corren peligro económico dentro del concepto de
la violencia doméstica.
Esta son algunas de las sugerencias que esta organización hace al Ejecutivo de Mariano Rajoy en
su informe "Sueños rotos. El impacto de la crisis de la vivienda española en los grupos más
vulnerables", donde analiza el impacto que la crisis hipotecaria tiene en los grupos más
vulnerables como inmigrantes, mujeres cabeza de familia, víctimas de violencia machista y niños.
Segun Human Rights Watch las mujeres ligadas por su hipoteca a antiguas parejas maltratadoras
u hostiles "se enfrentan a desafíos particulares".
Así, señala que mientras que las medidas gubernamentales protegen temporalmente contra el
desahucio a las supervivientes de la violencia machista, no existen disposiciones para resolver los
problemas que tienen al negociar con el banco la reestructuración, alivio o cancelación de la
deuda cuando su ex pareja o marido, cotitular de la hipoteca, se niega a cooperar.
En algunos casos, esta falta de cooperación puede traducirse en violencia económica.
HRW también insta al Gobierno a "alentar a los bancos" a permitir a las familias, sobre todo las
que tienen hijos o miembros con necesidades especiales, y las monoparentales encabezadas por
mujeres, a permanecer en sus casas cuando se produce el embargo por el banco pagando un
alquiler proporcional a su renta durante un tiempo razonable.
En España si una hipoteca está a nombre de las dos partes de una pareja, ambos tienen que
estar de acuerdo sobre una reestructuración de la deuda o sobre la dación en pago.
La deuda que queda tras la dación es individual, por lo que sólo en estos casos las mujeres
pueden negociar independientemente la quita con el banco.
En el mejor de los casos, puede aliviar o cancelar la deuda, pero la preocupación inmediata para
las mujeres a quienes HRW ha entrevistado para elaborar el informe, es garantizar una vivienda
apropiada y segura para ellas y sus hijos.
HRW recuerda que el Gobierno incluyó a las víctimas de la violencia doméstica como beneficiarias
de los reales decretos-leyes sobre la reestructuración de la deuda y sobre la suspensión de los
desahucios, unas medidas a las que se han acogido numerosas mujeres pero que no han evitado
que otras muchas sufran "maltrato económico".
El Convenio sobre prevención y lucha contra la violencia contra las mujeres y la violencia
doméstica del Consejo de Europa -conocido como Convenio de Estambul, ciudad donde se firmódefine la violencia doméstica como "todos los actos de violencia física, sexual, psicológica o
económica que se producen en la familia o en el hogar o entre cónyuges o parejas de hecho
antiguos o actuales".
25
Se entiende que la violencia económica implica el control en la toma de decisiones, el uso de los
recursos económicos y el acceso a ellos, creando una situación de impotencia y de dependencia.
El apoyo a las víctimas de la violencia doméstica debería incluir servicios de búsqueda de empleo
para que puedan alcanzar independencia económica y seguridad financiera, apunta HRW.
El Tribunal Europeo de los Derechos Humanos ha reconocido también que la violencia doméstica
incluye el maltrato económico y, por ello, las obligaciones de los Gobiernos en el marco del
Convenio Europea de los Derechos Humanos (CEDH) para impedir y responder a la violencia
doméstica deberían incluir medidas contra dicho maltrato, apunta HRW.
Pese a que España ratificó el Convenio de Estambul en 2014, sus leyes no incluyen la violencia
económica, por lo que toda acción legal posible para resolver los litigios económicos se gestiona
en los tribunales ordinarios y no en los especializados en violencia machista, a no ser que estén
asociados a una denuncia formal de violencia doméstica.
En su informe, esta organización recuerda que la actual crisis hipotecaria y social española en
torno a los desahucios y la deuda se produce en el contexto de décadas de políticas
gubernamentales que promocionaban la propiedad de la vivienda en detrimento de otras formas
de vivienda accesible.
Por ello, Human Rights Watch hace un llamamiento al Gobierno de España para que adopte
medidas que ayuden a un mayor número de personas y familias a evitar el desahucio y acceder a
una vivienda asequible, y garantice el acceso a la reestructuración, al alivio y a la cancelación
justa de la deuda.
26
Conseil de l’Europe - Ratification par la France de la convention sur la
prévention et la lutte contre les violences à l’égard des femmes et la
violence domestique (21 mai 2014)
21/05/2014 – France Diplomatie
Le Parlement vient d’autoriser la ratification par la France de la convention du Conseil de l’Europe
sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes et la violence domestique. Le
texte entrera en vigueur le 1er août 2014.
Cette convention prévoit des normes minimales en matière de prévention, de protection des
victimes et de poursuites pénales contre les violences sexuelles - y compris viols, violences
physiques et psychologiques, harcèlement, mariages forcés et mutilations génitales féminines. Il
s’agit également du premier texte international juridiquement contraignant comprenant des
dispositions de nature à combattre le phénomène des crimes prétendument commis "au nom de
l’honneur".
La France appelle l’ensemble des États membres du Conseil de l’Europe qui ne l’ont pas encore
fait à signer et ratifier la convention.
27
In Germany, no means yes
20/05/2014 - Global Post / international
A regressive definition of rape highlights the country’s stubbornly traditional attitudes toward
women.
No means yes, at least in this country.
When a rape court in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia acquitted the alleged rapist of a 15-yearold girl in 2012, women's rights advocates were outraged.
The ruling found that saying no, or even screaming it, wasn't enough to merit rape charges.
Now findings from a new study indicate that case was hardly unique, despite a European initiative
to step up efforts to stop violence against women.
The number of German rape cases ending in convictions has plummeted from 22 percent to 8
percent over the past 20 years, according to a study released by the Hanover-based Criminological
Research Institute of Lower Saxony.
“It was only in 1997 that rape within a married couple was found to be punishable.”
Those figures came as a shock to most Germans, who think of their country as a leader in the
struggle for women's equality.
However, women's rights advocates weren’t so surprised.
Anita Eckhardt of Germany's Federal Association of Women's Counseling Centers (BFF) says
that’s because the country’s legislative process is “very conservative.”
“It was only in 1997 that rape within a married couple was found to be punishable,” she says.
The new report comes at a particularly awkward time for Chancellor Angela Merkel.
A Council of Europe convention on violence against women, due to come into force in August,
threatens to highlight the country’s shortcomings, even though Germany wasn’t among the 10
countries that ratified it.
“It’s high time to face the reality of rape cases and to adjust the laws” so that more rape victims get
justice, Eckhardt says.
The convention will make fighting violence against women a “legally binding obligation,” compelling
countries to change laws, introduce practical measures and allocate resources to the effort.
In Germany, that may require more than a change in the problematic definition of rape, the new
study suggests.
Researchers blamed overburdened police forces and an increase in cases reported by victims who
knew their alleged attackers for the decline in convictions.
The study also identified dramatic differences in the conviction rates of different states, depending
28
on their relative wealth.
In Germany's three richest states, 24 percent of rape cases end in convictions and the number of
rape cases filed has dropped by a third.
In the three poorest states, the number of reported rapes has increased 40 percent, with a measly
4 percent ending in convictions.
Differences in procedure also accounted for the wide variation in conviction rates.
They were significantly higher in states that made it a practice to film victims' statements, rather
than simply filing written reports. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, it’s not standard
procedure to make video recordings.
Activists hope the disturbing figures will act as an embarrassing wakeup call for the political and
economic leader of the European Union.
That doesn’t mean there’s been no progress in Germany, however.
Merkel's cabinet is 40 percent female, and her coalition government is pushing for a gender quota
requiring that 30 percent of open positions on company supervisory boards be reserved for
women.
Currently, women account for around 10 percent of directors on the boards of large German
companies, compared with 17 percent at US-based Fortune 500 companies.
But liberal Germany may be sliding backward in other ways when it comes to women's equality.
More from GlobalPost: In Denmark, nothing says EU elections like group sex and random
beheadings
There's been virtually no change in popular attitudes about who should raise children — women, of
course — according to another recent study.
Fewer men, and more women, today say they'd be willing to relocate for their partners’ careers
than a decade ago.
And working women are still derided as “Rabensmuetter,” or “raven mothers” — an allusion to the
belief that the birds push their chicks out of the nest before they’re able to fly.
“Many aspects of women’s lives have improved,” Eckhardt says. “But if you look at the structural
discrimination that women still experience or at media images and people’s attitudes, we still have
a long way to go.”
29
Convenio de Estambul: Europa coopera en erradicar violencia contra
las mujeres
19/05/2014 – www.rotativo.com.mx
El objetivo proteger a las mujeres, prevenirla, perseguirla y eliminarla.
Nacionales Pachuca, México.19 May 14.- Europa está abierta para aprender de estos 20 años de la
Convención de Belém do Pará, declaró aquí Carolina Lasen Díaz, una de las principales
impulsoras del Convenio del Consejo de Europa sobre Prevención y Lucha Contra la Violencia
hacia las Mujeres y la Violencia Doméstica.
Más conocido como “Convenio de Estambul”, acordado en esa ciudad turca en 2011, ese tratado
será vinculante a partir de agosto próximo.
Ahora que la convención latinoamericana y del Caribe ya es mayor de edad, la de Estambul
“extiende su mano abierta para que haya una fluida cooperación”, dijo Lasen Díaz durante el Foro
Hemisférico del vigésimo aniversario de la Convención Interamericana para Prevenir, Sancionar y
Erradicar la Violencia Contra la Mujer (Convención de Belém do Pará), de la Organización de los
Estados Americanos (OEA), celebrado en esta ciudad, capital del estado mexicano de Hidalgo, los
días 14 y 15 de mayo.
Europa no ha dejado de reconocer la violencia contra las mujeres, pero la violencia sexual sigue
subestimándose Investigaciones en ese continente indican que solo entre dos y 10 por ciento de
las violaciones son denunciadas.
Igual ocurre con otros hechos de violencia contra las mujeres en el viejo continente, que hacen
pensar, según Lasen Díaz, si la existencia de mitos y estereotipos hacen que ellas rechacen
denunciar y obtener justicia.
La Convención de Estambul tiene como objetivo proteger a las mujeres contra todas las formas de
violencia, a la vez que prevenirla, perseguirla y eliminarla, lo mismo que la Convención de Belém
do Pará, creada hace 20 años.
También persigue contribuir a la eliminación de toda forma de discriminación y promover la
igualdad real entre mujeres y hombres, mediante la autonomía de las primeras, para lo cual apoya
a las organizaciones civiles y las fuerzas y cuerpos de seguridad a fin de que cooperen de manera
eficaz en un enfoque integral.
“¡Actúa contra las violaciones! ¡Utiliza la Convención de Estambul!”. Con esta campaña en 33
países de Europa, celebrada en diciembre del año pasado, se dio a conocer ampliamente el
Convenio del Consejo de Europa, con el cual ese continente ha abierto el camino para establecer
un marco jurídico propicio que proteja a las mujeres contra todas las formas de violencia.
Lasen Díaz, oficial de Programas del Consejo Europeo, adscrita a la Unidad de Igualdad de
Género y su Dirección de la Democracia, precisó que el Convenio de Estambul –ratificado por 11
países y abierto a la adhesión de naciones no europeas– se ha inspirado en el modelo de la
Convención de Belém do Pará y define y criminaliza varias formas de violencia contra las mujeres.
Sobresalen, entre ellas, el matrimonio forzoso, la mutilación genital femenina, el acoso sexual y la
violencia física y psicológica contra las mujeres.
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A la par, establece un mecanismo de seguimiento específico para garantizar la aplicación efectiva
de sus disposiciones por los Estados comprometidos, así como la creación de un grupo de
expertos independientes para examinar si los países ratificantes cumplen o no sus compromisos.
La funcionaria europea afirmó que la Convención de Estambul se ha propuesto atacar las causas
que originan la violencia contra las mujeres y aboga por cambiar estereotipos, perseguir a los
culpables.
Pero, sobre todo, impulsa que los Estados criminalicen de forma jurídica, con duras penas, todas
las formas de violencia que atentan contra las mujeres, lo que ya ha empezado a acontecer.
Lasen Díaz señaló que al Consejo Europeo se le conoce más como “Tribunal Europeo”, lo cual le
otorga manga ancha para establecer disposiciones jurídicas
preventivas sobre la base de convenios en contra de la trata de mujeres y, en general, prevenir y
combatir cualquier expresión de violación de los derechos humanos que atenten contra las
mujeres.
Durante la mesa de trabajo ” Prácticas promisorias en la prevención: desde el ámbito
internacional”, dijo que la Convención de Estambul propone diferentes tipos de prevención,
incluidas campañas de concientización, modelos y programas específicos para atacar a los
agresores, y el buen uso de los medios de comunicación.
El artículo 17 de la Convención de Estambul es específico sobre el papel del sector privado y los
medios de comunicación, así como su participación en el desarrollo de políticas y directrices a fin
de modificar los actuales modelos que promueven la violencia contra las mujeres con contenidos
degradantes sobre violencia sexual, muy perjudiciales a la sociedad.
Frente a un auditorio muy atento, Lasen Díaz, de nacionalidad española, se refirió a los papeles
positivo y negativo de los medios de comunicación.
Este último hay que tratar de controlarlo y minimizarlo, sobre todo porque perpetúa mitos,
estereotipos y favorece prácticas usuales entre los varones como el acoso sexual, señaló. En
tanto Internet, dijo, con cierto sentido de anonimato, facilita la impunidad de delitos sexuales
contra las mujeres.
Hizo hincapié en el papel positivo de los medios de comunicación y su enorme potencial para
favorecer un verdadero cambio de los estereotipos de la sociedad, e hizo referencia a dos
proyectos del Reino Unido, vigentes en más de 20 países europeos, que utilizan webs donde las
mujeres se atreven a hablar sobre las agresiones del sexo masculino que padecen.
Esas webs, agregó, han tenido un gran impacto y constantemente se están abriendo nuevas
páginas en Internet con ese propósito. Pero hay que concientizar al público europeo sobre las
obligaciones que tienen los medios de comunicación públicos y privados para ampliar sus
mensajes en función de iniciativas con los objetivos de la Convención de Estambul, señaló.
Añadió que Internet y los medios de comunicación pueden ser socios en aumentar las campañas
con contenidos de igualdad de género, con buen periodismo, videos y mensajes sin costo,
trabajando mano a mano con asociaciones civiles y con los gobiernos que tienen la obligación de
perseguir el irrespeto a los derechos humanos.
No se trata, dijo, de satanizar a los medios de comunicación, sino de convertirlos en aliados para
que, por ejemplo, difundan los actos de violencia con un sentido constructivo, que desaliente esas
prácticas.
Lasen Díaz dio a conocer que el Consejo de Europa adoptó la medida de prohibir la
discriminación, combatir la incitación al odio o cualquier acto de violencia contra las mujeres
dentro de los medios de comunicación.
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Con ello, agregó, se anticipó a la fecha en que dicha convención será vinculante, a partir del
primero de agosto próximo, para que sea promovida una imagen no estereotipada de las mujeres
en relación con los hombres, se tomen medidas de autorregulación como códigos de conducta, y
se propicie una imagen de la mujer enaltecedora, para irse adaptando a los marcos legales que se
establecerán en el futuro.
Entre estos, citó mecanismos de vigilancia a los medios de comunicación para detectar contenidos
estereotipados ligados con causas que originan la violencia, así como propiciar una formación de
periodistas que tenga nuevos instrumentos.
La funcionaria europea señaló que, como parte de la Convención de Estambul, a finales de 2013
se adoptó una estrategia con objetivos relevantes, como combatir los estereotipos de género y el
sexismo, diseminar e intercambiar medidas para dar visibilidad a prácticas de igualdad de género,
con la participación de los medios.
Un total de 17 países enviaron sus sugerencias y campañas mediáticas sobre el tema,
especialmente en los Estados donde se están autorregulando y contrarios a la publicidad sexista,
los cuales son potenciales futuros miembros.
La elaboración del Convenio de Estambul le valió al Consejo de Europa el VIII “Premio de
Reconocimiento a la labor más destacada en la Erradicación de la Violencia de Género 2012″,
concedido por el Observatorio contra la Violencia Doméstica y de Género.
Ese es el primer tratado europeo que aborda específicamente la violencia contra las mujeres y la
violencia doméstica. Los países que lo ratifiquen deberán establecer, además, servicios como
líneas de asistencia telefónica, centros de acogida, servicios médicos, orientación y asistencia
legal.
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'Wounded to Death' stops in Paris, next the Arab world
16/05/2014 - ANSA / Italy
'Wounded to Death' by Serena Dandini has made a stop in Paris and put two French ministers on
stage at the National Library of France: Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, who showed her talent
as orator, and Equal Opportunity Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
Now the show aims to conquer the Arab and Muslim world.
"Our goal is also to consult the southern part of the Mediterranean. We are happy that the project
began from Italy, but we are ready to begin a second phase," observed Emma Bonino, speaking
with ANSA. Various contacts have already been made in Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey.
The former Italian foreign minister - and true 'godmother' of the project - read a one of the
monologues (in French) on femicide written by Serena Dandini in collaboration with Maura Misiti.
She was received by warm audience applause.
Bonino hopes that "Wounded to Death" may give impulse to France to ratify the Instanbul
Convention''.
The text of the Council of Europe convention preventing and combating violence against women,
already been ratified by Italy, will nevertheless go into effect on August 1.
Italian actress Claudia Cardinale, artist Bettina Rheims, and actresses Nabiha Akkari and Eurydice
El Etr were among the readers - all in black with red shoes. Notwithstanding some men that have
come forward to try to take their turn at having the word.
''Above all some actors. But the men - no - we do not want them,'' joked Serena Dandini.
But the writer and journalist has written a new text that could go on to enrich the collection, in
which precisely a man this time speaks in first person. A violent partner who goes to ring on the
door of Paradise to express remorse.
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Donne: Bonino, spero Francia ratifichi convenzione Istanbul
15/05/2014 - ANSA / Italy
"Speriamo che 'Ferite a morte' possa servire da impulso perché la Francia ratifichi la Convenzione
di Istanbul. L'implicazione attiva di un paese come la Francia sarebbe una prima scadenza
importante e simbolica": lo ha detto all'ANSA Emma Bonino, che stasera a Parigi sarà tra le lettrici
dei monologhi teatrali scritti da Serena Dandini per le vittime di femminicidio. La convenzione del
Consiglio d'Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta alla violenza contro le donne e la violenza
domestica entrerà in vigore il prossimo primo agosto.
Tra le oratrici dello spettacolo, in programma alla Biblioteca Nazionale di Francia, anche le due
ministre della Giustizia, Christiane Taubira, e delle Pari Opportunità, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
Entrambe hanno risposto "con entusiasmo immediato e accettato di partecipare ancora prima di
conoscere il testo che era stato loro assegnato", ha osservato Serena Dandini. Per contattare la
Guardasigilli è stata Emma Bonino ad alzare la cornetta del telefono e chiamare: "Ci stai? Le ho
chiesto. E lei mi ha risposto di sì - ha raccontato l'ex ministro -. Mi ha anche detto che è stata molto
commossa dal testo". (ANSA).
34
Editorial: We must strengthen law to stop attacks on women
15/05/2014 - Irish Independent / Ireland
THE prospect of light-framed RTE broadcaster Ryan Tubridy inflicting violence may raise a wry
smile. Yesterday, the 'Late Late Show' presenter was so outraged by the confessions of a
convicted domestic violence abuser on his morning radio show that he stated he would call around
and "break his legs" if such violence was inflicted on someone he loved such as his mother or
sister.
Mr Tubridy, a father of two, immediately acknowledged that violence or the threat of violence, as a
means to stopping violence, is wrong. But his visceral reaction to the caller's frank admissions is a
welcome, much-needed male intervention into the largely silent debate on domestic violence.
Up to six out of every 10 women in the world experience physical or sexual violence in their
lifetime.
And according to a recent survey on violence against women by the EU Fundamental Rights
Agency, one-quarter of Irish women suffer from domestic violence, while one in three have
reported psychological violence within their relationships.
Some 6pc of women in Ireland, some 91,000, have experienced sexual violence within their
relationships, making the sanctity of the family home one of the most dangerous places for women
and children.
Yet this is only the tip of the iceberg.
This is because Ireland also has one of the poorest reporting rates, with 70pc of Irish women
saying they do not contact authorities after serious abuse.
That reporting rate is exacerbated by inadequate supports for women fleeing their homes and a
criminal justice system that can on occasion be indifferent to a victim's complex needs.
Critically, Ireland has failed to sign, ratify and implement the 2011 Council of Europe Convention
on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
The so-called Istanbul Convention, which obliges the State with regard to prevention, protection
and provisions of supports and assistance, has not been ratified amid fears of a constitutional
challenge. The Government has been advised that Article 52 of the convention on emergency
barring orders "presents a particular difficulty in relation to property rights under the Irish
Constitution".
So be it, let such a challenge be taken.
It is hard to imagine any circumstances where the right to property takes precedence over the
threat to human life.
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Juristinnen fordern Strafrechtsreform
13/05/2014 - ARD / Germany
Der Deutsche Juristinnenbund (djb) hat die Bundesregierung aufgefordert, das Sexualstrafrecht zu
modernisieren. Der Strafrechtsparagraph, der sexuelle Nötigung und Vergewaltigung unter Strafe
stellt, erfülle die internationale Vorgabe der Kriminalisierung nicht.
Das Sexualstrafrecht ermögliche "keine wirksame Strafverfolgung", so der Detusche
Juristinnenbund.
Insbesondere ermögliche das Strafrecht keine wirksame Strafverfolgung aller nicht
einvernehmlichen sexuellen Handlungen, kritisierte der Juristinnenbund mit. Denn damit in
Deutschland nicht-einvernehmliche sexuelle Handlungen auch strafbar sind, muss mindestens
eines der folgenden Kriterien erfüllt sein: Der Täter muss entweder Gewalt angewendet haben,
oder damit gedroht haben, eine schutzlose Lage des Opfers ausgenutzt haben. Es reicht also
nicht, wenn das Opfer klar und deutlich "Nein" sagt. So steht es im §177 des Strafgesetzbuches.
Bundesregierung ratifiziert Europarats-Konvention nicht
Dabei unterzeichnete die damalige schwarz-gelbe Bundesregierung bereits im Mai 2011 eine
Initiative des EU-Rates, nach der nicht-einvernehmliche sexuelle Handlungen unter Strafe gestellt
werden sollen: Die Europarats-Konvention zur Verhütung und Bekämpfung der Gewalt gegen
Frauen und häuslicher Gewalt. Artikel 36 der Istanbul-Konvention verlangt, dass die
Unterzeichnerstaaten "nicht einverständliche sexuelle Handlungen" unter Strafe stellen.
Bislang haben zehn Länder diese Konvention ratifiziert, Deutschland bislang nicht. Der djb verlangt
nun die Umsetzung. "Hierzu bedarf es einer grundsätzlichen Reform der Vorschriften im
Sexualstrafrecht in Deutschland" so djb-Präsidentin Ramona Pisal. "Wir erwarten ebenso wie
andere Verbände in Deutschland, dass der Gesetzgeber nicht nur möglichen Strafbarkeitslücken
nachspürt, sondern Rechtsnormen einem gewandelten gesellschaftlichen Selbstverständnis
anpasst und in Anerkennung der freiwilligen sexuellen Selbstbestimmung aller Menschen,
insbesondere aber der Frauen, gleichwertiges Unrecht in gleicher Weise ahndet."
Vor wenigen Wochen war eine Studie veröffentlich worden, nach der es in Deutschland in
Vergewaltigungsprozessen immer seltener zu einer Verurteilung kommt. Die Untersuchung des
Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen ergab, dass im Jahr 2012 nur noch etwas
mehr als acht Prozent der Angeklagten verurteilt wurden.
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Violences faites aux femmes: Feu vert du Parlement à la convention
d'Istanbul
06/05/2014, 20 mintues avec AFP
VIOLENCES - Les sénateurs ont adopté cet outil offrant un cadre juridique complet pour la
prévention de la violence, la protection des victimes et dans le but de mettre fin à l’impunité des
auteurs de violence...
Le Parlement a définitivement adopté lundi soir le projet de loi autorisant la ratification de la
convention du Conseil de l'Europe sur la prévention et la lutte contre les violences à l'égard des
femmes et la violence domestique.
Vote à l'unanimité
Les sénateurs ont voté à l'unanimité ce texte déjà adopté par l'Assemblée le 13 février. Signée le
111 mai 2011 à Istanbul, la convention s'attaque à toutes les violences, des violences psychiques
aux crimes «d'honneur», mais il y manque la prostitution, a relevé Brigitte Gonthier-Maurin
(Communiste, républicain et citoyen), présidente de la délégation aux droits des femmes et à
l'égalité des chances entre les hommes et les femmes.
«Briser la loi du silence, la honte pour les victimes et l'impuissance des autorités à poursuivre les
auteurs des violences, c'est le but de ce texte en ligne avec la stratégie des trois "p", prévenir,
protéger et poursuivre», a souligné Françoise Laborde (RDSE, à majorité PRG). Pour Esther
Benbassa (Ecologiste), cette convention «représente le premier instrument complet, intégré et
contraignant de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes». En étant le dixième Etat à la signer,
la France «s'honore, par là-même, à autoriser son entrée en vigueur».
37
Blindness on violence against women
30 April 2014 by Jonathan Rayner – The Law Society Gazette
A new European convention could offer women more support after being attacked, but the UK is
still to ratify it.
I once visited a women’s refuge to interview the manager for a newspaper piece. The interview
took place on the one day of the week that men were allowed across the threshold. Why do men
do it, I asked. What is the macho satisfaction in beating up a woman who is generally physically illequipped (shorter, lighter, weaker) to defend herself?
‘It’s learned behaviour,’ came the response. ‘Boys see their fathers beating up their mothers and
come to believe it’s the way of the world.’
What about sexual abuse? ‘It’s not really about sex,’ the manager told me. ‘It’s a power thing.’
How good is the UK at dealing with these issues? Talk to family lawyers and they will speak of their
frustration when a woman keeps returning to her abusive husband or partner. There is nothing the
lawyer can do.
Worryingly, there remain blind spots in Europe around the abuse of women, too.
Got the urge to inflict sexual violence against your wife or girlfriend with impunity? Then move to
Armenia, Ukraine or Latvia, where all forms of sexual assault against regular or occasional
partners are NOT a criminal offence.
Those dastardly foreigners, eh, whatever will they think up next? Except the UK cannot really hold
its collective head up high. Some 44% of British women questioned in a recent survey of 42,000
women across the European Union’s 28 member states reported incidents of physical or sexual
violence.
More than one-third of women across the EU say they have been subjected to such violence from
the age of 15 onwards, while 12% say they were abused as children – half by men that they and
their family already knew.
Women also reported widespread stalking, sexual harassment and cyber-harassment via social
media, email or text messages. These figures come from a survey published in March by the
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
What women are generally NOT reporting is these assaults to the police. Only 14% of them
reported the worst instances of abuse by a partner and, surprisingly, even fewer (13%) reported
the worst instances of abuse by a non-partner.
The Council of Europe has now added to the debate with its Convention on Violence against
Women, which is set to come into effect following its ratification by a 10th member state (Andorra)
– although the UK has still to ratify it.
The convention breaks new ground by obliging states to introduce new laws, where they do not
already exist, formally to criminalise acts of violence against women. These new laws will override
cultural claims, such as ‘honour killings’, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, forced abortion
and forced sterilisation.
The convention will also oblige states to investigate any allegations of violence against women,
requiring police and other law enforcement agencies to respond to calls for help, collect evidence
and assess the risk of further violence.
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States must also respect the rights of victims and avoid secondary victimisation while they carry
out judicial proceedings.
Governments that have ratified the treaty must train the professionals who have close contact with
victims; run periodic awareness-raising campaigns, include gender equality in school curricula; and
establish treatment programmes for the perpetrators of domestic violence and sex offenders.
States are also obliged to provide accessible shelters, 24/7 telephone helplines, rape crisis referral
centres and be subject to regular monitoring by independent observers.
This is all good stuff and, although some people are sure to whinge about Europe imposing yet
more red tape on us, is long overdue because women are suffering or dying daily.
On a personal note, until eight years ago, I was back on the dating circuit after 25 years of
marriage. I met several women who had escaped violent husbands. I recall one woman who
flinched when I raised my hand to scratch my eyebrow. She had been married to an investment
banker.
Another woman carried similar psychological scars. Her ex-husband was a mathematician and
physicist.
Neither husband was ever prosecuted. Maybe the new convention, which comes into force on 1
August, will make all the difference. Or maybe not.
Jonathan Rayner is Gazette staff writer
39
Istanbul Convention combating violence against women
28/04/2014, Strasbourg, Agence Europe
A decisive step was taken last week as, thanks to its ratification by Andorra on 23 April, the Council
of Europe's Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic
violence will become applicable on 1 August of this year.
Also known as the Istanbul Convention, this text, which was adopted in May 2011 and signed by
32 countries, now has the 10 ratifications required for its application in the countries which have
approved it.
“One of its great strength is that it sets up an independent group of experts who will issue reports
assessing to what extent states parties comply with the convention's standards”, commented
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, who stressed that the convention is the
first legally binding set of standards on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence as a whole.
The convention lays down minimum standards in terms of prevention, protection, legal proceedings
and services. The countries which ratify it must, amongst other things, set in place telephone
helplines, refuges, medical assistance, counselling spaces and legal assistance for victims. In this
way, concrete measures are recommended, said Jagland, in order to provide “states parties with a
unique opportunity to lift the silence and taboos around all forms of violence against women”. The
text is “pioneering”, he stressed, as it will be a “reference in Europe and beyond”.
No country is entirely free from violence against women, described by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) as a public health care issue of epidemic proportions. The national state
responses to such violence have been criticised by the Council of Europe in a report published by
its gender equality commission.
Police inaction, a lack of refuge places and legal gaps in Hungary, fears of expulsion preventing
migrant women from seeking help in Belgium, legislative shortcomings and issues in applying
existing laws in Turkey, etc. The problems are legion and make the protection systems uncertain,
or even fatal for certain victims. In order to set in place effective systems of both prevention and
punishment, the Istanbul Convention defines the various forms of violence against women (sexual
violence, physical and emotional violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, harassment)
and call for these to be made criminal offences. The approach aims to be global, whilst taking
account of the diversity of the member states of the Council of Europe.
“Violence against women is rooted in the cultures, traditions, institutions and practices of European
societies”, concludes the report by the gender equality commission. “A monolithic approach will not
work any more than it will gain support (…). Therefore, the monitoring of the Istanbul Convention
should take account of the full picture of measures and policies for each country”, the commission
stated.
The independent experts who will be responsible for the visits and reports regarding the ten
countries which have already ratified the Convention will be appointed in 2015. (VL)
COPYRIGHT AGENCE EUROPE© NOT AVAILABLE FOR RE-DISSEMINATION
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Preventing unwelcome behaviour by Renee Laiviera? Commissioner
27/04/2014 - Malta Independent / Malta
Sexual harassment is a violation of human rights and a prohibited form of violence against women
in many countries. A study published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
(FRA) confirmed that sexual harassment is a pervasive and common experience for many women
in the EU. This study carried out among women from the 28 EU Member States shows that
violence (domestic violence) and specifically gender-based violence disproportionately affects
women.
Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties Dr Helena Dalli participated as
main speaker in the conference held last month to launch this FRA study of violence against
women. During the panel discussion, Dr Dalli announced the first reading in Parliament of the Bill
to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention).
An area of concern studied in this research is sexual harassment at the workplace which includes
any unwelcome physical contact, staring or leering, sexually explicit pictures, emails or SMS
messages and the access of sexually explicit internet sites. Suggestive comments or jokes,
unwanted invitations to go out on dates or requests for sexual interaction, insults or taunts based
on someone’s sex as well as unnecessary familiarity can also constitute sexual harassment.
Whether the behaviour is unwelcome is a subjective question and will depend on the particular
person against whom it is directed. It is irrelevant that the behaviour may not offend others or that it
has been accepted in the work environment in the past. This is because different individuals will
often perceive and react to behaviour in different ways.
Harassment directed against women or men in the workplace by their supervisors, fellow
employees or third parties interferes with the integration of employees in the workplace, reinforces
the subordination of victims of harassment to perpetrators, violates the victims’ dignity and creates
a health and safety hazard at work.
The FRA survey found that in Malta one in every five women respondents (20%) who participated
in the survey experienced sexual harassment in the 12 months before the interview, while 19% of
the Maltese respondents went through unwelcome touching, hugging or kissing since the age of
15. Moreover, eight per cent of the respondents from Malta have gone through cyberharassment
since the age of 15.
According to the survey, professional women in management and in other top positions are also at
risk of sexual harassment. Particularly, one in three (75%) women in top management jobs across
Europe and 74% of women in a professional occupation across Europe experienced sexual
harassment in their lifetime, and one in four of these women have been confronted with sexual
harassment in the 12 months prior to the survey.
A picture of extensive abuse that affects many women’s lives is highlighted in the FRA Survey.
However, this abuse is systematically under-reported to the authorities. In fact, the National
Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) recognises that sexual harassment tends to be
under-reported to responsible bodies, as confirmed by a study that NCPE carried out in this regard.
In view of this situation, NCPE encourages victims of sexual harassment and discrimination to
report their cases to the relevant authorities, including to NCPE itself, to seek redress and to
further safeguard their rights.
NCPE assists persons who are sexually harassed at the workplace and when accessing goods or
services from shops or other establishments, for example when someone feels sexually harassed
by a joke or comment by a salesperson in a shop or the bartender when purchasing a drink from a
bar.
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In the context of the prevalence of sexual harassment cases, NCPE encourages employers and
other organisations to raise awareness and take practical initiatives to recognise and address the
reality of sexual harassment experienced by employees. In effect, NCPE is awarding the Equality
Mark Certification to those companies or organisations that safeguard gender equality at the
workplace and take measures to prevent sexual harassment.
NCPE also assists organisations to draft their equality and sexual harassment policies, and
provides training to various groups of individuals or organisations during which it raises awareness
on various issues related to equality, including sexual harassment. Through these training
sessions, NCPE disseminates more information on rights and responsibilities related to sexual
harassment and empowers participants to take action to curb violence. The promotion of the
prevention of violence contributes to combat violence and NCPE deems that this should start from
as an early age as possible by educating and working with children, promoting respectful
relationships and gender equality.
For more information on the initiatives carried out by NCPE or to report a case of sexual
harassment, please contact NCPE on 2590 3850, [email protected] or on the Facebook page:
National Commission for the Promotion of Equality.
Examples of sexual harassment in the workplace
I got into the car driven by the man who was my new boss at the new dream job in television. My
new boss turned to me. “So you live with your boyfriend, right?” I blushed. “I’d like to meet him
sometime.” And then my new boss leaned over and reached for my hand, and held it. I was
petrified with fear and embarrassment. I had no idea what to do. I needed and wanted this job. So I
did nothing. No protest, no pulling away.
Over the next weeks and months, his actions continued with sexually implicit words when speaking
to me several times and when he invited me to go out with him for a drink after work and tried to
make certain advances.
At the time, I didn’t recognise that what my boss did is actually sexual harassment. It never
occurred to me to talk to anyone about it or complain. It was until over a decade later that I realised
suddenly that I had been sexually harassed.
I am 28 and work as a telecommunications technician in a male-dominated environment. My
executive manager came to the office and asked for my number and I gave it to him. I did not ask
him why he wanted my number as he is a senior person and respected by all in the company
because of his position. He then started touching me. I felt very uncomfortable and stopped him. I
then walked out of the office and told him that I was going to report this to my supervisor. I felt
violated and scared.
I did inform my HR representative but the harassment did not stop. It was when I reported him to
the relevant authority which intervened in the case that he stopped his actions being afraid of a bad
reputation.
My message for those who are being sexually harassed is to tell your friends, family, supervisors
and administration. Find out who is the most appropriate contact for the situation you’ve been put
into and report it for action to be taken.
Renee Laiviera is Commissioner at the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE)
Entra en vigor el tratado europeo sobre violencia contra la mujer
27/04/2014 - El Mercuriodigital.es / Spain
42
Una de cada tres mujeres en la Unión Europea ha sufrido algún tipo de agresión física y/o sexual
desde los 15 años
Un emblemático tratado europeo que busca proteger a mujer contra la violencia, avanzó un paso
más hacia su entrada en vigor, luego de que Andorra se convirtiera en el décimo país en
ratificarlo. Con la consumación de este importante paso, el tratado será vinculante a partir del 1 de
agosto de 2014. Los países que ratifiquen el convenio están obligados a proteger y asistir a las
víctimas de violencia.
El “Convenio del Consejo de Europa sobre prevención y lucha contra la violencia contra las
mujeres y la violencia doméstica”—conocido como “Convenio de Estambul”— es el primer tratado
europeo que aborda específicamente la violencia contra la mujer y la violencia doméstica.
Establece estándares mínimos en materia de prevención, protección, persecución penal y
servicios. Los países que lo ratifiquen deberán además establecer servicios como líneas de
asistencia telefónica, centros de acogida, servicios médicos, orientación y asistencia legal.
“Se trata de un momento decisivo para las mujeres de Europa que encuentran en su hogar un
lugar de riesgo”, indicó Gauri van Gulik, defensora global de derechos de la mujer de Human
Rights Watch. “Este tratado obligará a los gobiernos a adoptar medidas concretas para ayudar a
mujeres y niñas que enfrentan ataques violentos”.
Una de cada tres mujeres en la Unión Europea ha sufrido algún tipo de agresión física y/o sexual
desde los 15 años, según señala una encuesta preparada por la Agencia de los Derechos
Fundamentales de la UE. Se estima que el 35 por ciento de las mujeres en todo el mundo han
experimentado violencia física o sexual por parte de sus parejas, o violencia sexual a manos de
extraños. La Organización Mundial de la Salud asevera que se trata de un problema de salud
global de proporciones epidémicas.
El tratado fue adoptado en Estambul el 11 de mayo de 2011. Más de la mitad (25 de 47) de los
países que son miembros del Consejo de Europa han suscripto el Convenio (el paso inicial antes
de aceptar plenamente quedar vinculados por el tratado a través de la ratificación). Hasta el
momento, lo han ratificado diez países: Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Andorra, Italia,
Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, España y Turquía.
El Convenio de Estambul aborda falencias en las respuestas de los países al problema de la
violencia contra la mujer. En toda Europa, la violencia y el fracaso de los gobiernos para evitar y
prevenir el abuso es una realidad cruel y cotidiana que viven numerosas mujeres y niñas, como ha
quedado demostrado a través de investigaciones realizadas por Human Rights Watch en los
últimos años.
En Hungría, la inacción policial, la ineficacia de las órdenes de restricción, la falta de centros de
acogida suficientes y las lagunas en materia legal y de políticas permiten que las mujeres que
sobreviven a hechos de violencia doméstica queden expuestas a la posibilidad de nuevos abusos.
En Bélgica, el temor a ser deportadas impide que numerosas mujeres migrantes que sufren
violencia doméstica obtengan la protección que necesitan.
En Turquía, debido a las lagunas legislativas y las fallas en la implementación por policías,
fiscales, jueces y otros funcionarios, el sistema de protección resulta impredecible en el mejor de
los casos, y letal en los supuestos más graves.
El tratado define las distintas formas de violencia contra la mujer (incluidas la violencia sexual,
física y psicológica, el matrimonio forzado, la mutilación genital femenina y el acoso), y exige su
tipificación.
Un grupo de expertos independientes autorizados a realizar visitas de país y examinar informes
periódicos se ocupará de velar por la aplicación del tratado. Los expertos serán elegidos dentro
del plazo de un año a partir de que el convenio entre en vigor.
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El tratado ya está propiciando cambios positivos, observó Human Rights Watch. Por ejemplo, en
marzo de 2012, el parlamento de Turquía adoptó una nueva ley que, a pesar de presentar
defectos, incorporó mejoras al marco legal para la protección frente a la violencia y se diseñó
principalmente sobre la base del Convenio de Estambul.
“La violencia contra la mujer no es un fenómeno de la naturaleza, puede detenerse”, expresó van
Gulik. “Se espera que este convenio genere cambios prácticos que, en definitiva, deberían mejorar
la vida de mujeres y niñas en toda Europa”.
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Europe Treaty on Violence Against Women Becomes Binding August 1
26/04/2014 - Kansas City infozine /Deutschland
One in three women in the European Union has experienced some form of physical and/or sexual
assault since the age of 15. A ground-breaking European treaty on violence against women moved
one step closer to entering into legal force, with Andorra becoming the 10th and Denmark the 11th
country to ratify the Istanbul Convention. .
With this milestone met, the treaty will become binding on August 1, 2014. Countries ratifying the
treaty are obligated to protect and support victims of violence.
The treaty, the “Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against
Women and Domestic Violence” – known informally as the “Istanbul Convention” – is the first
European treaty specifically targeting violence against women and domestic violence. It sets out
minimum standards on prevention, protection, prosecution, and services. Countries ratifying must
also establish services such as hotlines, shelters, medical services, counseling, and legal aid.
One in three women in the European Union has experienced some form of physical and/or sexual
assault since the age of 15, according to an EU Fundamental Rights Agency survey. An estimated
35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, or
sexual violence by a stranger. The World Health Organization calls this a public health problem of
epidemic proportions.
The treaty was adopted in Istanbul on May 11, 2011. More than half (25 of 47) of the countries that
are Council of Europe members have signed the convention (the initial step before fully agreeing to
be bound by the treaty through ratification). To date, eleven countries have ratified: Albania,
Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra, Denmark, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Spain,
and Turkey.
The Istanbul Convention addresses gaps in national responses to violence against women. Across
Europe, violence and the failure of governments to prevent it is a daily, brutal reality for women and
girls, Human Rights Watch research over the past few years has shown.
• In Hungary, police inaction, ineffective restraining orders, insufficient shelter spaces, and legal
and policy gaps leave women survivors of domestic violence at risk of further abuse.
• In Belgium, fear of deportation prevents many migrant women who experience domestic violence
from getting the protection they need.
• In Turkey, gaps in the law and implementation failures by police, prosecutors, judges, and other
officials make the protection system unpredictable at best, and deadly at worst.
The treaty defines various forms of violence against women (including sexual violence, physical
and psychological violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and stalking), and calls for
their criminalization.
A group of independent experts with the power to conduct country visits and review regular reports
will monitor implementation of the treaty. The experts will be elected within a year following the
entry into force.
The treaty is already propelling positive changes, Human Rights Watch said. For example in
Turkey, in March 2012 parliament adopted a new law that, despite flaws, improved the legal
framework for protection from violence and was largely based on the Istanbul Convention.
“Violence against women is not a force of nature – it can be stopped,” Gauri van Gulik, global
women’s rights advocate for Human Rights Watch, said. “This convention is set to bring about
practical changes that should ultimately improve the lives of women and girls across Europe.”
45
«Convention d'Istanbul»
Un pas décisif vers l’entrée en vigueur
24/04/2014 – MAP/Maroc (lematin.ma)
Prochaine entrée en vigueur de la Convention européenne sur la prévention et la lutte contre la
violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique
La Convention européenne sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et
la violence domestique entrera en vigueur à partir du 1er août prochain, après sa ratification par
dix Etats membres du Conseil, soit le minimum requis, a annoncé mercredi le Conseil de l'Europe.
A ce jour, ce texte appelé «Convention d'Istanbul», signé il y a trois ans dans cette ville turque, a
été ratifié par l'Albanie, Andorre, l'Autriche, la Bosnie-Herzégovine, l'Italie, le Monténégro, le
Portugal, la Serbie, l'Espagne et la Turquie et devrait être ratifiée cette semaine par le Danemark.
Dans une déclaration publiée à Strasbourg, le secrétaire général du Conseil de l'Europe, Thorbjorn
Jagland, s'est félicité de l'entrée en vigueur de cette convention qui est le premier ensemble de
normes juridiquement contraignantes visant à prévenir et à combattre la violence à l'égard des
femmes et la violence domestique en Europe, fait obligation aux Etats parties de prévenir la
violence, de protéger les victimes, de poursuivre les auteurs de violences et de coordonner les
mesures dans le cadre de politiques globales.
L'une de ses grandes forces est d'établir un groupe d'experts indépendants qui évaluera, dans ses
rapports, dans quelle mesure les Etats parties respectent les normes définies, a-t-il souligné, en
exhortant les Etats membres qui ne l'ont pas encore fait à signer et ratifier cette convention
«pionnière» qui offre aux Etats parties «une occasion unique de briser le silence et les tabous
autour de toutes les formes de violence faite aux femmes» et en passe de devenir «une référence
en Europe et ailleurs, car le catalogue de mesures qu'elle prévoit est le plus complet au monde
dans ce domaine», a-t-il souligné.
46
La France doit-elle ratifier la convention d’Istanbul ?
24/04/2014 –Agora Vox (http://www.agoravox.fr)
Il semblerait que le Sénat ait prévu d'examiner le 5 mai prochain le projet de loi autorisant la
ratification de la Convention d’Istanbul. De quoi s'agit-il ?
Qu'est-ce que la Convention d'Istanbul ?
Le 11 mai 2011, la France signait la Convention du Conseil de l’Europe sur la prévention et la lutte
contre la violence à l’égard des femmes et la violence domestique , aussi connue sous le nom de
Convention d’Istanbul. Il s’agit du premier instrument juridiquement contraignant au niveau
européen, offrant un cadre juridique complet pour la prévention de la violence, la protection des
victimes et dans le but de mettre fin à l’impunité des auteurs de violences contre les femmes.
Selon la Convention, la violence à l’égard des femmes est définie, à l’article 3, comme « toute
violence faite à l’égard d’une femme parce qu’elle est une femme ou affectant les femmes de
manière disproportionnée ».
La Convention d’Istanbul entrera en vigueur lorsqu’elle aura été ratifiée par dix États, dont huit
États membres. Au 23 avril2014, 32 États l'ont signée mais seuls onze États l'ont ratifiée (Turquie,
Albanie, Italie, Monténégro, Portugal, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Serbie, Autriche, Espagne, Andorre,
Danemark). Andorre est la dixième ratification déclenchant ainsi l'entrée en vigueur au 1er Août
2014. Quelque pays, tels que Royaume-Uni, Italie, Russie et Saint-Siège proposent l'amendement
de cette Convention de manière à limiter les droits.
Que dit la Convention ?
La Convention introduit de façon juridique plusieurs notions, dont elle donne une définition à
l'article 3, comme « violence à l’égard des femmes » , « violence domestique » et « genre »
notamment.
La Convention reprend ainsi la définition figurant à l’article 1er de la Déclaration des Nations Unies
sur l’élimination de la violence à l’égard des femmes, adoptée en 1993, en la complétant par une
référence à la dimension économique potentielle des dommages ou souffrances, ainsi que par une
référence explicite à la notion de « genre ». Celle-ci est définie par le c) de l’article 3 comme
désignant « les rôles, les comportements, les activités et les attributions socialement construits
qu’une société donnée considère comme appropriés pour les femmes et les hommes ». Il résulte
principalement de cette référence au « genre » une prise en compte accrue de la nécessité de
faire une priorité de la promotion de l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes, en s’attaquant aux
racines mentales et sociétales de la discrimination. Le Préambule y voit en effet la cause
structurelle de la violence à l’égard des femmes. Il en résulte que par cette convention, les pays
signataires reconnaissent " que la nature structurelle de la violence à l’égard des femmes est
fondée sur le genre". Mais la Convention utilise également des notions dont les contours sont mal
délimités comme la violence psychologique ou la violence économique.
Situation législative de la France sur ce point.
Un projet de loi autorisant la ratification de la convention du Conseil de l'Europe sur la prévention
et la lutte contre les violences à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique, n° 1026, a été
adopté en conseil des ministres du 15 mai 2013 et déposé sur le Bureau de l'Assemblée nationale
ce même jour. La France a adopté certaines dispositions de la Convention dans la loi n° 2013-711
du 5 août 2013 portant diverses dispositions d'adaptation dans le domaine de la justice en
application du droit de l'Union européenne en transposant par anticipation des obligations
nouvelles issues de la Convention d’Istanbul.
Toutefois à ce jour la France n’a pas encore ratifié la Convention elle-même. Voir le dossier
législatif. L'Assemblée nationale a adopté le texte en première lecture, le 13 février dernier.
En novembre 2013 la ministre des Droits des femmes a annoncé une série de mesures de
prévention et de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes dans le cadre d'un plan
47
interministériel de prévention et de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes. La loi sur l’égalité
femme/homme complète, notamment, des mesures de protection des victimes contre, par
exemple, le mariage forcé, le viol, le harcèlement… Toutes ces mesures reprennent l'essentiel des
dispositions contenues dans la Convention d'Istanbul.
Qui est à l'origine de cette convention ?
Il s'agit d'une convention du Conseil de l'Europe, à ne pas confondre avec l'Union Européenne. Le
Conseil de l’Europe est une organisation internationale instituée le 5 mai 1949 par le traité de
Londres pour la reconstruction de la famille européenne après la guerre. Le Conseil de l’Europe,
dont le siège est à Strasbourg, rassemble 47 États de l’Europe (820 millions de ressortissants). Sa
mission est de promouvoir la démocratie et de protéger les droits de l’homme et l’État de droit en
Europe. La Convention européenne des droits de l’homme ainsi que la Cour européenne des
droits de l’homme en sont les principaux instruments.
Alors que les députés européens sont élus au suffrage universel tous les cinq ans (la prochaine
fois en mai 2014), les membres de l'Assemblée Parlementaire du Conseil de l'Europe (APCE) sont
désignés par les États. Chaque État membre est libre de choisir le mode de désignation de ses
représentants à l'APCE, à condition que ceux-ci soient élus ou désignés en son sein par le
parlement national ou fédéral. La composition politique de chaque délégation nationale doit refléter
de façon raisonnablement fidèle la représentation des différents partis au sein du parlement
national. La France compte 36 membres (18 titulaires et 18 suppléants). Les membres de l'APCE
ne sont donc pas élus au suffrage universel pour leur mandat pour lequel ils n'ont pas de mission
précisément définie.
L’Union européenne, pour sa part, s’est engagée dans la lutte contre la discrimination entre les
femmes et les hommes dans un certain nombre de domaines, tels que l’emploi et les activités
professionnelles, la sécurité sociale et l’accès aux biens et services, mais sans élaborer
d’instrument juridiquement contraignant pour la protection des femmes contre la violence, malgré
plusieurs appels du Parlement européen en faveur d’une directive européenne dans ce domaine.
La raison en est que la compétence de l'Union Européenne n'est pas clairement établie sur ce
point.
Quelles dispositions figurent dans la convention d'Istanbul ?
La Convention insiste sur des formes particulièrement graves de violences comme les violences
sexuelles, incluant l’agression sexuelle, le viol et le harcèlement, les mariages forcés ou les
mutilations génitales féminines, toutes situations qui sont évidemment inacceptables. En revanche
elle introduit des notions aux contours moins bien délimités comme les violences psychologiques
ou économiques dont l'interprétation, à l'usage, pourrait s'avérer délicate.
La première obligation assignée aux Parties (les Etats), à l'article 12, est de prendre "les mesures
nécessaires pour promouvoir les changements dans les modes de comportement socioculturels
des femmes et des hommes en vue d'éradiquer les préjugés, les coutumes, les traditions et toute
autre pratique fondés sur l’idée de l’infériorité des femmes ou sur un rôle stéréotypé des femmes
et des hommes".
La Convention fait obligation aux États signataires de soustraire la violence de genre au droit
commun. En effet elle rend obligatoire pour les États la création d’un délit pénal de violence
psychologique contre les femmes, la création d’un délit de violence économique, l’obligation de
dispenser les professionnels de leur obligation de secret lorsqu’ils suspectent des faits de violence
psychologique contre une femme (art. 28), l’éducation des enfants dès le primaire au « genre »
(art. 14), etc. Prouver une violence psychologique ne sera pas une mince affaire et dépendra
essentiellement des déclarations de la victime.
Les moyens dont la mise en place est exigée par la convention sont eux mêmes sujet à
interrogation sur l'usage qui peut en être fait : dénonciations anonymes (l'interprétation de l'art. 27
pourrait aller loin : "encourager toute personne témoin ... ou qui a de sérieuses raisons de croire
qu’un tel acte pourrait être commis ... à les signaler aux organisations ou autorités compétentes" ),
financement des ONG spécialisées dans les questions de genre (art. 8, 13 et 18). La Convention
interdit les modes alternatifs de résolution des conflits (art. 48) en stipulant que "les Parties
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prennent les mesures législatives ou autres nécessaires pour interdire les modes alternatifs de
résolution des conflits obligatoires, y compris la médiation et la conciliation".
Qu'apporterait la ratification par la France ?
Compte tenu des lois, anciennes ou votées récemment, (voir ci-dessus), les principales
dispositions de la Convention sont déjà prises en compte par la législation française. On peut se
demander, par exemple, quel serait l'intérêt d'inclure, au nom du respect de la Convention, une
obligation légale de refuser des mesures de médiation et de conciliation.
En mars 2013 la Ministre des droits des femmes donnait une conférence de presse à la suite de
son intervention à l'ONU dans laquelle elle déclarait "Cette convention est formidable et la France
procédera à sa ratification très prochainement. Je crois que nous serons le cinquième pays à le
faire". En réalité 14 mois plus tard il n'en rien, Andorre est devenu le 22 avril le dixième État à
ratifier, ce qui montre à l'évidence que cette question ne fait pas consensus en France. Par contre
il est clair que cette ratification serait perçue par ses promoteurs comme une superbe médaille en
chocolat couronnant leurs efforts.
En ces temps d'élections européennes un tel vote ne ferait sans doute que conforter les
eurosceptiques dans leur conviction. Un texte initié par des politiques non élus venant chercher
une légitimité auprès de la représentation nationale : c'est exactement le fonctionnement
incompréhensible par les citoyens qui est reproché aux institutions européennes.
Une nouvelle raison de méfiance vis à vis de l'Europe
Il est évidemment politiquement incorrect de s'opposer au discours officiel qui contient pourtant
peu d'arguments consistants pour justifier la ratification qui n'est finalement soutenue que par des
propos exaltés. Ainsi cet entretien avec la député rapporteur du projet de loi à l'assemblée
nationale, les déclarations du Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes qui "salue
le franchissement de cette première étape vers la ratification de ce texte, qui fera que la France
comptera parmi les dix premiers pays à avoir rendu possible l’entrée en vigueur de ce texte" (mais
comme on l'a vu, c'est raté) ou encore les propos de la Ministre des droits des femmes qui parlait
de "convention formidable", ministre mais dont le socialiste Julien Dray disait récemment dans
l'Express qu'elle "est sur la ligne des féministes ultras américaines, qui sont en train d'émasculer
les sexes !".
Quelle serait la valeur ajoutée d'une telle ratification par rapport à la législation française actuelle ?
Quel intérêt à le faire alors que dix États ont déjà ratifié, déclenchant ainsi l'entrée en vigueur ?
Finalement, ratifier serait un mauvais signal supplémentaire en mettant en évidence l'acceptation
par la représentation parlementaire nationale d'un texte venu du nulle part européen.
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Europe counts down to Istanbul Convention on violence against women
24/04/2014 – West Info (http://www.west-info.eu)
On 1st August 2014 will come into force the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and
combating violence against women and domestic violence. Better known as the “Istanbul
Convention”. Thanks to the very recent ratifications of Andorra and Denmark, in fact, the
Convention has finally crossed the threshold of 10 endorsements from the signatory States
necessary for the entry into force of the treaty. The first European treaty on violence against
women and domestic violence, the Convention closes the gap in the protection of fundamental
human rights of women by requiring states parties to prevent violence, protect its victims,
prosecute the perpetrators, and to co-ordinate any such measures through comprehensive
policies.
by Ivano Abbadessa
50
Ny konvention skal bekæmpe vold mod kvinder
24/04/2014 - Dagbladet - Ritzau- Fyens.dk - Sydkysten- DR Nyheder/ Danemark
Danmark har som det 11. land godkendt en konvention fra Europarådet om at bekæmpe vold mod
kvinder.
Voldtægter og arrangerede ægteskaber er virkelighed for mange kvinder rundt om en verden. Men
det skal der i fremtiden sættes en stopper for.
Danmark har nemlig som det 11. land onsdag underskrevet en international konvention fra
Europarådet om bekæmpelse af vold mod kvinder.
Konventionen kræver blandt andet, at medlemslandene forebygger volden, beskytter ofrene,
retsforfølger gerningsmændene og opstiller mål for førnævnte ved hjælp af fyldestgørende regler.
- En af konventionens fordele er, at der i henhold til den skal nedsættes en gruppe af uafhængige
eksperter, der skal vurdere om medlemspartierne overholder konventionens retningslinjer, siger
Europarådets generalsekretær og Norges tidligere statsminister, Thorbjørn Jagland, i en
pressemeddelelse.
Europasrådets konvention om kvindevold blev udarbejdet i Istanbul i 2011 og har siden ventet på
at 10 lande skulle godkende konventionen, for at den kan træde i kraft.
Jagland håber, at de resterende medlemslande vil underskrive og ratificere konventionen, som
ifølge ham er den mest fyldestgørende måde at opnå mål på.
- Det giver medlemspartierne en unik mulighed for at bryde med tavsheden og tabuet omkring alle
former for vold mod kvinder, siger han.
Ifølge en rapport, lavet af Statens Institut for Folkesundhed i 2010, koster kvindevold hvert år den
danske stat over en halv milliard kroner.
Andora ratificerede tirsdag som det 10. land konventionen, og derudover har lande som Albanien,
Bosnien-Hercegovina, Tyrkiet, Østrig og Sverige også underskrevet konventionen.
Konventionen træder i kraft den 1. august 2014.
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Konvention soll Frauen besser vor Gewalt schützen
24/04/2014 - APA - Kleine Zeitung / Österreich
Eine neue Konvention soll Frauen in Ländern wie der Türkei besser vor Gewalt und häuslichen
Übergriffen schützen. Nach Angaben des Europarats vom Mittwoch ratifizierte diese Woche mit
Andorra ein zehnter Staat das Übereinkommen. Es könne damit zum 1. August in den
Teilnehmerstaaten in Kraft treten, hieß es.
Wie der Europarat mitteilte, legt das vor drei Jahren in Istanbul ausgehandelte Übereinkommen
zum ersten Mal rechtsverbindliche Normen zur Verhütung und Bekämpfung von Gewalt gegen
Frauen und häuslicher Gewalt in Europa fest. Es verpflichtet die Staaten unter anderem, Gewalt zu
verhindern, die Opfer zu schützen und die Täter strafrechtlich zu verfolgen.
Menschenrechtler hatten die Konvention bereits 2011 als "bahnbrechend" bezeichnet. Sie wiesen
damals darauf hin, dass in Europa 20 bis 25 Prozent der Frauen im Laufe ihres Lebens Gewalt
oder sexuelle Gewalt erlebten, in der Türkei fast die Hälfte der Frauen.
Der Generalsekretär des Europarats, Thorbjorn Jagland, rief am Mittwoch alle noch nicht
beteiligten Mitgliedstaaten auf, die Konvention zu ratifizieren. Bisher sind neben der Türkei Länder
wie Albanien, Italien, Portugal und Spanien dabei. Deutschland hat die Ratifizierung zugesagt,
aber noch nicht umgesetzt.
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Europarat will Frauen vor Gewalt schützen
24/04/2014 - DPA / Deutschland
Konvention soll helfen
Eine neue Konvention soll Frauen in Ländern wie der Türkei besser vor Gewalt und häuslichen
Übergriffen schützen. Nach Angaben des Europarats vom Mittwoch ratifizierte diese Woche mit
Andorra ein zehnter Staat das Übereinkommen. Es könne damit zum 1. August in den
Teilnehmerstaaten in Kraft treten, hieß es. Wie der Europarat mitteilte, legt das vor drei Jahren in
Istanbul ausgehandelte Übereinkommen zum ersten Mal . rechtsverbindliche Normen zur
Verhütung und Bekämpfung von Gewalt gegen Frauen und häuslicher Gewalt in Europa fest. Es
verpflichtet die Staaten unter anderem, Gewalt zu verhindern, die Opfer zu schützen und die Täter
strafrechtlich zu verfolgen.
Staaten verpflichten sich, Opfer zu schützen
Menschenrechtler hatten die Konvention bereits 2011 als „bahnbrechend“ bezeichnet. Sie wiesen
damals darauf hin, dass in Europa 20 bis 25 Prozent der Frauen im Laufe ihres Lebens Gewalt
oder sexuelle Gewalt erlebten, in der Türkei fast die Hälfte der Frauen.
Der Generalsekretär des Europarats, Thorbjørn Jagland, rief am Mittwoch alle noch nicht
beteiligten Mitgliedstaaten auf, die Konvention zu ratifizieren. Bislang sind neben der Türkei Länder
wie Albanien, Italien, Portugal und Spanien dabei. Deutschland hat die Ratifizierung zugesagt,
aber noch nicht umgesetzt.
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10 ratifications reached: the Istanbul Convention will entry into force
this summer!
23/04/2014 – European Women’s Lobby
(Brussels) - Two countries have recently ratified the Istanbul Convention on violence against
women: Spain (on the 10/04/2014) and Andorra (on the 22/04/2014), which became the 10th
member state to ratify triggering the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention on 1 August 2014.
This ratification marks is a huge step towards the end of violence against women and the
promotion and protection of women’s human rights in Europe.
Ten countries in total have ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating
violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention, until now: Andorra,
Albania, Austria, Bosnia i Herzegovina, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Spain and Turkey.
Other countries, as France, Germany, Malta, etc., are working towards the ratification.
The adequate implementation of the Istanbul Convention will make a enormous difference in the
eradication of violence against women as it sets standards for practical measures to address
violence against women from its roots, recognising that “violence against women is one of the
crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared to
men” (Preamble). The Convention requires states parties to put in place comprehensive and
coordinated policies in order to prevent violence, protect its victims, prosecute the perpetrators,
and to develop adequate systems for data collection.
The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) and the EWL Observatory on violence against women
encourage all the European states that have not done it yet, to sign, ratify and implement the
Istanbul Convention in a timely manner. Furthermore, the EWL is calling the European Union to
launch the procedure to ratify the Convention, as proposed by the European Parliament in its
Resolution on combating violence against women.
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Europe Treaty on Violence against Women to Take Effect ‘Defining
Moment’ for Women Facing Domestic Violence
23/04/2014 – Human Rights Watch
This is a defining moment for women in Europe for whom the home is a place of danger. This
treaty will oblige governments to take concrete steps to help women and girls facing violent
attacks.
Gauri van Gulik, global women's rights advocate
(Berlin) – A ground-breaking European treaty on violence against women moved one step closer to
entering into legal force, with Andorra becoming the 10th country to ratify it. With this milestone
met, the treaty will become binding on August 1, 2014. Countries ratifying the treaty are obligated
to protect and support victims of violence.
The treaty, the “Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against
Women and Domestic Violence” – known informally as the “Istanbul Convention” – is the first
European treaty specifically targeting violence against women and domestic violence. It sets out
minimum standards on prevention, protection, prosecution, and services. Countries ratifying must
also establish services such as hotlines, shelters, medical services, counselling, and legal aid.
“This is a defining moment for women in Europe for whom the home is a place of danger,” said
Gauri van Gulik, global women’s rights advocate for Human Rights Watch. “This treaty will oblige
governments to take concrete steps to help women and girls facing violent attacks.”
One in three women in the European Union has experienced some form of physical and/or sexual
assault since the age of 15, according to an EU Fundamental Rights Agency survey. An estimated
35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, or
sexual violence by a stranger. The World Health Organization calls this a public health problem of
epidemic proportions.
The treaty was adopted in Istanbul on May 11, 2011. More than half (25 of 47) of the countries that
are Council of Europe members have signed the convention (the initial step before fully agreeing to
be bound by the treaty through ratification). To date, ten countries have ratified: Albania, Austria,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and Turkey.
The Istanbul Convention addresses gaps in national responses to violence against women. Across
Europe, violence and the failure of governments to prevent it is a daily, brutal reality for women and
girls, Human Rights Watch research over the past few years has shown.
In Hungary, police inaction, ineffective restraining orders, insufficient shelter spaces, and legal and
policy gaps leave women survivors of domestic violence at risk of further abuse.
In Belgium, fear of deportation prevents many migrant women who experience domestic violence
from getting the protection they need.
In Turkey, gaps in the law and implementation failures by police, prosecutors, judges, and other
officials make the protection system unpredictable at best, and deadly at worst.
The treaty defines various forms of violence against women (including sexual violence, physical
and psychological violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and stalking), and calls for
their criminalization.
A group of independent experts with the power to conduct country visits and review regular reports
will monitor implementation of the treaty. The experts will be elected within a year following the
entry into force.
55
The treaty is already propelling positive changes, Human Rights Watch said. For example in
Turkey, in March 2012 parliament adopted a new law that, despite flaws, improved the legal
framework for protection from violence and was largely based on the Istanbul Convention.
“Violence against women is not a force of nature – it can be stopped,” van Gulik said. “This
convention is set to bring about practical changes that should ultimately improve the lives of
women and girls across Europe.”
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La Convention d'Istanbul entrera en vigueur le 1er août
23/04/2014 - Les Nouvelles News / France
La « Convention sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence
domestique » a enfin été ratifiée par 10 pays. En attendant la France.
Andorre est devenu, le 22 avril, le 10ème pays à ratifier la Convention d'Istanbul, ce qui ouvre la voie
à son entrée en vigueur le 1er août prochain. La Conseil de l'Europe, promoteur du texte, salue « une
nouvelle ère pour la promotion et la protection des droits des femmes ».
De son vrai nom « Convention sur la prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et
la violence domestique », ce traité avait été signé le 7 avril 2011 à Istanbul par 25 pays membres du
Conseil de l'Europe. Pour devenir légalement contraignant, 10 pays devaient le ratifier. Trois ans
après, c'est chose faite, Andorre étant le 10ème pays à l'avoir fait, après l'Espagne quelques jours
plus tôt1.
La France répond déjà à la plupart des critères établis par la Convention, mais elle n'aura pas été
parmi ces 10 pionniers. Le texte sera soumis au Sénat le 5 mai prochain, et il aura fallu pour cela que
des sénatrices donnent de la voix la semaine dernière (Voir : Le Sénat se fait violence pour ratifier la
Convention d'Istanbul).
La Convention fixe aux États parties une série de standards minimums, très concrets, en matière de
prévention des violences, de protection et d'assistance des victimes et de poursuites des auteurs. Il
s'agit du texte international légalement contraignant le plus complet en ce domaine.
Pour ne prendre que quelques exemples, le texte insiste sur le fait que « la culture, la coutume, la
religion, la tradition ou le prétendu 'honneur' » ne doivent pas justifier des actes de violence. Les États
parties doivent ériger en infractions pénales les mariages forcés ou les mutilations génitales féminines
; mettre en place une permanence téléphonique gratuite ouverte en permanence pour l’écoute et
l’orientation des victimes.
Au-delà de l'obligation pour les États de faire évoluer leur arsenal législatif, le traité crée un groupe
d'experts indépendants qui seront chargés de veiller à la mise en œuvre de la Convention.
Un pied de nez aux « anti-genre »
La Convention d'istanbul définit précisément le terme de « genre » : celui-ci « désigne les rôles, les
comportements, les activités et les attributions socialement construits, qu’une société donnée
considère comme appropriés pour les femmes et les hommes ».
Et en matière de prévention, le texte invite les États à « inclure dans les programmes d’étude officiels
et à tous les niveaux d’enseignement du matériel d’enseignement sur des sujets tels que l’égalité
entre les femmes et les hommes, les rôles non stéréotypés des genres ».
Rédaction par Arnaud Bihel
1 Les autres pays ayant ratifié la Convention sont l'Albanie, l’Autriche, la Bosnie-Herzégovine, l'Italie, le
Monténégro, le Portugal, la Serbie et la Turquie. Comme la France, le Danemark doit le faire dans les prochains
jours.
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Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women
23/04/2014 - Avisen.dk / Danemark
Ny konvention skal bekæmpe vold mod kvinder
Danmark har som det 11. land godkendt en konvention fra Europarådet om at bekæmpe vold
mod kvinder.
Voldtægter og arrangerede ægteskaber er virkelighed for mange kvinder rundt om en verden. Men det
skal der i fremtiden sættes en stopper for.
Danmark har nemlig som det 11. land onsdag underskrevet en international konvention fra
Europarådet om bekæmpelse af vold mod kvinder.
Konventionen kræver blandt andet, at medlemslandene forebygger volden, beskytter ofrene,
retsforfølger gerningsmændene og opstiller mål for førnævnte ved hjælp af fyldestgørende regler.
- En af konventionens fordele er, at der i henhold til den skal nedsættes en gruppe af uafhængige
eksperter, der skal vurdere om medlemspartierne overholder konventionens retningslinjer, siger
Europarådets generalsekretær og Norges tidligere statsminister, Thorbjørn Jagland, i en
pressemeddelelse.
Europasrådets konvention om kvindevold blev udarbejdet i Istanbul i 2011 og har siden ventet på at 10
lande skulle godkende konventionen, for at den kan træde i kraft.
Jagland håber, at de resterende medlemslande vil underskrive og ratificere konventionen, som ifølge
ham er den mest fyldestgørende måde at opnå mål på.
- Det giver medlemspartierne en unik mulighed for at bryde med tavsheden og tabuet omkring alle
former for vold mod kvinder, siger han.
Ifølge en rapport, lavet af Statens Institut for Folkesundhed i 2010, koster kvindevold hvert år den
danske stat over en halv milliard kroner.
Andora ratificerede tirsdag som det 10. land konventionen, og derudover har lande som Albanien,
Bosnien-Hercegovina, Tyrkiet, Østrig og Sverige også underskrevet konventionen.
Konventionen træder i kraft den 1. august 2014
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Should the EU ratify the Istanbul Convention on violence against
women?
23/04/2014 – EU Blog (http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.fr/)
For many years, discussion as regards the EU and human rights has focussed on the growing role
of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the EU’s planned accession to the European
Convention on Human Rights. This is understandable, given the importance of these
developments. However, the EU’s relationship with other international human rights instruments is
also worthy of further examination.
The EU is not able to sign up to older UN human rights treaties – such as the two Covenants and
the Conventions relating to sex discrimination, race discrimination and migrant workers – because
ratification of these instruments is only open to States. Similarly, only States can ratify ILO
Conventions, although the EU sometimes coordinates its Member States’ position as regards ILO
measures (see the discussion of the proposal to coordinate positions regarding new ILO forced
labour measures).
However, more recent international human rights treaties do provide for possible accession by the
EU, and indeed the Union has signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons
(see the recent Z judgment of the CJEU). With the imminent entry into force of the Council of
Europe’s Istanbul Convention on violence against women (which will come into force on 1 August
2014, after the deposit of the tenth ratification on April 22nd), the question now arises whether the
EU should sign up to another human rights treaty. This post sets out the reasons why the EU
should ratify the Convention at the earliest opportunity.
EU competence to ratify the Istanbul Convention
The EU is certainty competent to ratify the Istanbul Convention, if it wishes to do so. First of all, the
Convention expressly provides (in Article 75(1)) for ratification by the EU, without setting any
special condition in this respect.
Secondly, as a matter of internal EU law, the EU can sign up to any treaties which are (inter alia)
‘likely to affect common rules or alter their scope’ (Article 216 TFEU). Although EU law has not
regulated the key substantive criminal law issues dealt with in the Istanbul Convention, the
Convention does not limit itself to establishing rules concerning criminal liability, but also addresses
a number of other issues. In particular, there are EU law measures concerning the Convention’s
rules on: crime victims’ rights, cross-border application of protection orders (both civil and criminal),
other forms of cross-border cooperation, and immigration and asylum issues (see the detailed list
in the Annex).
It must be pointed out that if the EU ratifies the Istanbul Convention, it would not be replacing its
Member States, but ratifying the Convention alongside them. In other words, the Convention would
be another ‘mixed agreement’ which both the EU and its Member States have ratified, like the UN
Disabilities Convention, (in future) the ECHR and many other treaties. The EU would not be legally
obliged to adopt any more legislation affecting the issue of violence against women than it already
has done. While I have argued before that there are good reasons (and legal powers) for the EU to
adopt legislation establishing substantive criminal law rules in this field, this is a separate question
from whether the EU ought to ratify the Convention.
Reasons why the EU should ratify the Istanbul Convention
First of all, the EU’s ratification of the Convention would provide encouragement to its Member
States, as well as non-Member States of the EU, to ratify the Convention. It would increase the
prominence of the Convention worldwide, perhaps inspiring changes to national law and regional
treaty-making outside Europe.
Secondly, ratification would, as regards this Convention at least, address the argument that the EU
59
has ‘double standards’ as regards human rights, insisting that would-be EU Member States and
associated countries should uphold human rights standards that the EU does not apply itself. While
the double standards argument can be answered as regards human rights treaties which the EU
cannot ratify, it cannot so easily be rebutted as regards treaties which it can. If the EU is perfectly
able to ratify the Istanbul Convention, but chooses not to, what moral authority does it have to ask
non-Member States to do so?
Ratification of the Convention would enhance its role in EU law, because it could more easily be
used as a parameter for the interpretation and validity of EU legislation (such as the legislation
listed in the Annex, plus any future relevant measures). It would also mean that the Convention
would already bind those EU Member States which had not yet ratified it, as regards those
provisions within EU competence.
Furthermore, since the CJEU would have jurisdiction to interpret those provisions of the
Convention which fall within the scope of EU competence, this would promote a uniform
interpretation of those provisions within the EU.
Next, the relevant provisions of the Convention would be more enforceable if they were enshrined
in to EU law. While the CJEU ruled in the Z case that the UN Disabilities Convention did not have
direct effect, and might rule the same as regards the Istanbul Convention, at least that Convention
would have ‘indirect effect’ (ie the obligation to interpret EU law consistently with it), and the
Commission could bring infringement actions against Member States which had not applied the
Convention correctly, as regards issues within the scope of EU competence. Ensuring the
enforceability of the Convention is all the more important since it does not provide for an individual
complaint system.
Finally, ratification would subject the EU to outside monitoring as regards this issue, and avoid the
awkward scenario of its Member States being monitored as regards issues within EU competence
– meaning that the Convention’s monitoring body would in effect to some extent be monitoring
whether EU Member States were complying with EU law.
Posted bySteve Peersat22:50
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'1 in 3 women suffered beating or some other form of abuse worldwide'
14/04/2014 - Malta Independent / Malta
One in three women has suffered a beating or some form of abuse worldwide, according to
Amnesty International.
This was highlighted by Minister for Social Dialogue, Civil Liberties, and Consumer Affairs Helena
Dalli this morning during the launch of an EU co-funded project entitled ‘Forms of Violence in
Malta: A Gender Perspective’, held at the Excelsior Hotel in Floriana.
Addressing the launch of the project, Dr Dalli said that as a result of this two-year project, the
government will be relaying the message of zero tolerance against women and girls.
“Violence against women is a violation of human rights that cannot be justified by any political,
religious, or cultural claim,” she highlighted.
The Commissioner of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) Renee
Laiviera, spoke of a set of initiatives aimed at raising further awareness on different forms of
violence on women and girls. Through these initiatives, NCPE is committed to further spread the
message on zero tolerance to violence against women and girls, provide further information to
policy- makers on the current situation on violence on women and girls, to sensitise professionals
who work with victims or perpetrators of such violence, to further encourage victims of violence to
take action, while also raising awareness and disseminate more information on female genital
mutilation (FGM).
Therese Spiteri, NCPE’s manager, said that information which will emerge from research will also
be published and used in awareness campaigns, while pointing out that a video campaign to raise
awareness whose theme will be ‘Zero tolerance to violence’, will also be launched.
Shadow minister Claudette Buttigieg, who was present during the launch, noted that it is essential
that members of the Police Corps are given training on how to best tackle such situations when
they are confronted with them, since it results, from a string of interviews held with domestic
violence victims, that the police lack expertise in this field.
Citing an example of what emerged from the string of "shocking" interviews, Ms Buttigieg said that
one of the victims said that when she reported her case to the police, her statement was taken
down on a piece of paper which got lost by the time the case was presented in court, leading to a
lack of evidence related to the case.
She also said that the law courts, referring to certain legal aides, have at times encouraged victims
of violence not to go through the hassle of taking their aggressor up to court.
A study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) carried out among women
from the 28 EU Member States and launched during a conference last month, has shown that
domestic violence and specifically gender-based violence disproportionately affects women.
Malta is no exception too. The FRA survey found that in Malta, 20% of the respondents
experienced sexual harassment in the previous 12 months while eight per cent of the Maltese
respondents went through cyber harassment since the age of 15.
Dr Dalli said that during the above-mentioned conference, she had highlighted the government’s
commitment to further prevent or curb violence against women, and its intention to ratify the
Council of Europe Convention on preventing and Combating Violence against Women and
Domestic Violence commonly known as the Istanbul Convention.
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The first reading for the ratification of this convention was made in the Maltese Parliament last
March
“Today’s launch by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality marks another step
forward in the government’s commitment to combat all forms of violence amongst women,” she
said
by Duncan Barry
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Poland is having a sexual revolution in reverse
12/02/2014 - Guardian.co.uk / UK
Agata Pyzik: The backlash sees sex education and contraception being restricted – and gay
people compared to paedophiles
Post-communist countries have experienced of late a kind of inverted sexual revolution. You've
heard about the appalling new law against "homosexual propaganda" in Russia, or perhaps the
law banning civil partnerships in Croatia, but have you heard of the "war on gender" in Poland?
This European Union poster boy, commonly presented to aspiring "Europeans" in Ukraine as the
example to follow, has faced a storm of controversy over the issue of sex education. In Poland, the
word "gender" has become a giant catch-all term, conflating anything that diverges from the
conservative, patriarchal norm – it is on this threat that the church and its many allies in politics
have declared war. According to a church official, "gender ideology" is worse even than
communism.
The controversy was sparked by "gender workshops". These are basically sex education classes –
still hardly available in Poland – which were organised in pro-equality nurseries and schools, where
children are shown alternatives in a context where getting married to a member of the opposite sex
while a virgin is deemed the only acceptable solution. They were immediately smeared by the
church and rightwing press, in a moral panic. "They are paedophiles, perverting our children," it
was claimed. The episcopate released a "letter on gender" to warn the faithful, read out in every
parish over Christmas. There's now also a special commission in the sejm (parliament), founded
by the rightwing Law and Justice party, to "fight gender ideology".
The Polish church itself was recently hit by paedophilia scandals, and responded by blaming
parents and "broken homes". The Council of Europe is awaiting Poland's overdue ratification of the
Istanbul convention on domestic violence, as our parliament worries that the new law might "hit the
family". It seems that in the minds of its most fervent defenders, the family unit's only glue is
violence and women's serfdom.
The current backlash concerns any and all alternatives to an ultra-conservative Catholic
upbringing. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are incessantly insulted by the church,
and parliamentary officials compare their activities to zoophilia and paedophilia. A civil partnership
law was thrown out in the sejm last year.
How does this sit with Poland's glowing image abroad? When Meryl Streep gave an interview to
promote her new film August: Osage County in the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, she appealed to
Polish politicians to get their act together: "I thought that after years of communism you'd caught up
with the west in a social-cultural sense." It's a pity nobody told Streep that, in fact, it was during the
People's Republic when women in Poland enjoyed civil and reproductive rights. Although
homosexuality wasn't officially recognised (but wasn't penalised), both abortion and contraceptives
were legal and available. In today's Poland, both doctors and pharmacists can deny women
contraceptives, abortion law is the tightest in Europe (with attempts to punish women who do it
illegally) and sex education practically nonexistent. Even scientists speak in one voice with the
church: the Polish Academy of Sciences published a letter in which they called the gender
workshops an attempt at "unseating children from their own sex".
This situation can no longer be explained by the fact that the Catholic church was the only
alternative under communism. It is the power of the church, not the old miasma of communism,
which is profoundly and negatively influencing the social consensus. Statistics have shown that
Polish women actually bear relatively more children in the UK, a country where they have access
to sex education, contraceptives and abortion. Polish politicians' pro-family crusade is having the
opposite effect. But most of all, here we can see what a fallacy it is that a "liberal" economy means
liberalism in social norms. As we in post-communist Europe show, the truth can be the opposite.
63
Forced marriage to become offence as MSPs agree to adopt UK law
23/01/2014 - STV / UK
Forced marriage is to become a criminal offence in Scotland, after Holyrood gave the go ahead for
Westminster legislation on the issue to be applied north of the border.
The Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly backed a controversial legislative consent motion,
allowing proposed new UK laws to be applied in Scotland too.
The vote, by 101 to zero, with four MSPs abstaining, came after Holyrood's Justice Committee had
called for the Scottish Government to consider if it would be practical for to introduce its own
legislation on the issue.
Currently there is no criminal offence of forced marriage in Scotland but courts have the power to
issue protection orders to those at risk, which if breached could carry a two-year prison sentence.
But without forced marriage being a criminal offence, the country risks failing to comply with the
Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
The Westminster legislation will make it a criminal offence for someone to use violence, threats or
any other form of coercion to force another person into a marriage — with this offence having a
maximum custodial sentence of seven years.
Minister Shona Robison said that forcing someone to get married against their wishes was "an
abuse of their human rights".
She stated: "Forced marriage is thankfully not an issue that affects the majority of people in
Scotland, however it is a blight on those communities where it happens and can have a
devastating effect on the lives of victims."
She told how seven forced marriage protection orders had been granted since Scottish legislation
was passed in 2011, saying the law was "working well"
She added: "We're now seeking to go further in the protections available for victims by creating a
new criminal offence of forced marriage through the legislative consent motion on the Antisocial
Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill currently going through Westminster."
Ms Robison conceded the legislative consent motion, allowing Westminster legislation on this area
to be applied in Scotland, had been "controversial" with some "valid concerns" raised.
But she said the Istanbul Convention, which the UK Government has signed up to, requires forced
marriage to be a criminal offence.
"It's our view existing criminal offences in Scotland are not adequate to meet the requirements," Ms
Robison said.
"We want Scotland to be compliant. Criminalising forced marriage was therefore necessary to
achieve this. "
She added that "in an ideal world" MSPs and others in Scotland would have had a longer period to
consider the change, but said if Scotland did not act "a gap would open up between protections in
Scotland and the rest of the UK".
This, she said would leave victims in Scotland less well protected than those in the rest of the UK,
64
describing this as "simply unacceptable".
While concerns had been raised that making forced marriage a criminal offence could deter victims
from coming forward, Ms Robison said at this point in time the Scottish Government did "not have
any evidence this would happen".
She added: "Forced marriage is already a criminal offence in a number of European countries and
there does not seem to be evidence reporting of this has decreased."
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Holyrood backs forced marriage law
23/01/2014 - PA / UK
Forced marriage is to become a criminal offence in Scotland, after Holyrood gave the go ahead for
Westminster legislation on the issue to be applied north of the border.
The Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly backed a controversial legislative consent motion,
allowing proposed new UK laws to be applied in Scotland too.
The vote, by 101 to zero, with four MSPs abstaining, came after Holyrood's Justice Committee had
called for the Scottish Government to consider if it would be practical for to introduce its own
legislation on the issue.
Currently there is no criminal offence of forced marriage in Scotland but courts have the power to
issue protection orders to those at risk, which if breached could carry a two-year prison sentence.
But without forced marriage being a criminal offence, the country risks failing to comply with the
Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
The Westminster legislation will make it a criminal offence for someone to use violence, threats or
any other form of coercion to force another person into a marriage - with this offence having a
maximum custodial sentence of seven years.
Minister Shona Robison said that forcing someone to get married against their wishes was "an
abuse of their human rights".
She stated: "Forced marriage is thankfully not an issue that affects the majority of people in
Scotland, however it is a blight on those communities where it happens and can have a
devastating effect on the lives of victims."
She told how seven forced marriage protection orders had been granted since Scottish legislation
was passed in 2011, saying the law was "working well"
She added: "We're now seeking to go further in the protections available for victims by creating a
new criminal offence of forced marriage through the legislative consent motion on the Antisocial
Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill currently going through Westminster."
Ms Robison conceded the legislative consent motion, allowing Westminster legislation on this area
to be applied in Scotland, had been "controversial" with some "valid concerns" raised.
But she said the Istanbul Convention, which the UK Government has signed up to, requires forced
marriage to be a criminal offence.
"It's our view existing criminal offences in Scotland are not adequate to meet the requirements," Ms
Robison said.
"We want Scotland to be compliant. Criminalising forced marriage was therefore necessary to
achieve this. "
She added that "in an ideal world" MSPs and others in Scotland would have had a longer period to
consider the change, but said if Scotland did not act "a gap would open up between protections in
Scotland and the rest of the UK".
This, she said would leave victims in Scotland less well protected than those in the rest of the UK,
describing this as "simply unacceptable".
66
While concerns had been raised that making forced marriage a criminal offence could deter victims
from coming forward, Ms Robison said at this point in time the Scottish Government did "not have
any evidence this would happen".
She added: "Forced marriage is already a criminal offence in a number of European countries and
there does not seem to be evidence reporting of this has decreased."
By Katrine Bussey, Political Editor, Press Association Scotland
67
MSP query on forced marriage laws
15/01/2014 - Press Association Newswire - Scotland
The Scottish Government should consider if it could bring in its own legislation to criminalise forced
marriage north of the border, a new report from MSPs has suggested.
Holyrood's Justice Committee wants Scottish ministers to consider if it would be practical for them
to introduce legislation on the issue.
The Scottish Government has already said it backs allowing Westminster to legislate for this.
But, in an unusual move, MSPs on the committee said they were making no recommendation to
the Scottish Parliament with regard to the specific part of a legislative consent motion that would be
needed to do this.
Committee convener Christine Grahame urged the Scottish Government to consider bringing in its
own legislation, saying: "If we have time to develop a specific Scottish response to forced marriage
to reflect our distinct legal system, we should."
Currently there is no criminal offence of forced marriage in Scotland but courts have the power to
issue protection orders to those at risk, which if breached could carry a two-year prison sentence.
But without forced marriage being a criminal offence, Scotland risks failing to comply with the
Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
The Scottish Government is now backing Westminster legislation which will make it a criminal
offence for someone to use violence, threats or any other form of coercion to force another person
into a marriage - with this offence having a maximum custodial sentence of seven years.
In a report on the matter, MSPs on the committee agreed that "in order to ratify the Istanbul
Convention, a specific offence of forced marriage is required in Scotland".
They added: "While the committee accepts that criminalisation of forced marriage is required to
enable the UK to ratify the Istanbul Convention, it is not convinced that Scotland having the same
legislation as the rest of the UK in this area is necessary."
The MSPs said they shared concerns "that legislation has been brought forward in such a sensitive
and complex area without any consultation in Scotland", adding that they did not believe the
Parliament and others had had "the opportunity to fully explore the proposed forced marriage
legislation and its possible effects".
They then asked the Scottish Government "whether it would be practicable to introduce its own
legislation on forced marriage after a full consultation with stakeholders and to still comply with the
Istanbul Convention in a reasonable timeframe".
Their report also pointed out Police Scotland had "voiced some concerns" about how having both
civil and criminal remedies to deal with forced marriage would work in practice.
As a result, the MSPs questioned "how the interaction between civil and criminal remedies will
work together to promote victims' best interests".
Ms Grahame said: "The committee heard in evidence how forced marriage is a complex and
culturally sensitive issue, and there is clearly not agreement from those people who deal with
victims on the best way to tackle this dreadful practice.
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"When organisations that assist victims of forced marriage are raising concerns that the proposals
may stop victims from coming forward and seeking help, we think that it is time to pause and make
sure that we get the right legislation for victims in Scotland.
"The committee has concerns about the Scottish Government's approach and the lack of
consultation in Scotland on the proposals. One way or the other, more work needs to be done in
this area on how the proposals will work in practice and how victims' interests will be taken into
account."
ends
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said the Justice Committee's report would be carefully
considered.
He said: "Our aim in using a Legislative Consent Motion to create a criminal offence of forced
marriage was to ensure that protection would be put in place at the earliest opportunity.
"The Istanbul Convention on violence against women requires criminalisation of forced marriage,
and the criminal law in Scotland does not currently include an offence of forced marriage.
"We have worked closely with stakeholders on this issue and will continue to do so to ensure that
all victims and potential victims of forced marriage are supported and protected."
By Katrine Bussey, Political Editor, Press Association Scotland
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Séminaire pour l’élaboration d’une loi pour la prévention des violences
contre les femmes
Direct Info avec TAP | 02 déc 2013
Le ministère des affaires de la femme et de la famille organise, dans le cadre de la célébration des
16 jours d’activisme contre les violences fondées sur le genre, en collaboration avec le conseil de
l’Europe et le fonds des Nations Unies pour la population (UNFPA), un séminaire sur « Les cadres
et instruments juridiques nationaux et internationaux en matière de violences fondées sur le genre
: pour une loi cadre en Tunisie », les 9 et 10 décembre 2013 à Tunis.
Selon un communiqué publié, lundi, ce séminaire s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une initiative menée par
le ministère de la femme et ses partenaires afin d’élaborer une loi cadre visant à prévenir et
réprimer les violences commises à l’encontre des femmes et à assurer une prise en charge des
survivantes de violences.
Une analyse de la situation en Tunisie et des législations sur les violences à l’égard des femmes et
la violence domestique sera présentée. Les résultats de cette étude portent sur les priorités en
matière de prévention et de lutte contre les violences à l’égard des femmes pour 2014 ainsi que
l’adoption d’une feuille de route pour l’élaboration d’une loi cadre de prévention et de lutte contre
les violences à l’égard des femmes.
Parmi les thèmes de ce séminaire de deux jours, figurent « la prévention de la violence à l’égard
des femmes et de la violence domestique », « protection, soutien et assistance des victimes pour
surmonter les conséquences des actes de violence et reconstruire leur vie ». Les thèmes du
premier jour porteront sur la convention du conseil de l’Europe sur la prévention et la lutte contre la
violence à l’égard des femmes et la violence domestique et le deuxième jour sur le projet
d’élaboration d’une loi cadre pour l’année 2014.
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Lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes – l’affaire de tous
L’économiste (Maroc) Édition N° 4158 du 2013/11/26 - Par Rupert JOY
Rupert Joy est ambassadeur, chef de la délégation de l’Union européenne au Maroc
Les militants et militantes en faveur des droits des femmes ont choisi en 1981 la date du 25
novembre comme journée de lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes, en mémoire des trois
soeurs Mirabal, militantes dominicaines brutalement assassinées sur les ordres du chef de l’État.
Aujourd’hui cette date constitue une opportunité que saisissent les associations de la société civile
engagées pour les droits des femmes, les Etats, les organismes internationaux et les citoyens,
pour sensibiliser l’opinion sur ce problème et mettre fin à ce fléau. Le 25 novembre sont également
ouverts les 16 jours de campagne pour lutter contre toute forme de violence à l’égard des femmes.
Dans le monde, plus d’une femme sur trois est, au cours de sa vie, victime de violence, que ce soit
dans l’intimité de son foyer, à l’école, au travail ou dans d’autres contextes civils, selon les
données de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé. En Europe, ce sont plus d’un quart des filles et
des femmes qui sont victimes de violence. Au Maroc, selon l’enquête nationale sur la prévalence
de la violence à l’égard des femmes réalisée par le Haut-Commissariat au Plan et publiée en
janvier 2011, il ressort que, sur une population de 9,5 millions de femmes âgées de 18 à 64 ans,
près de 6 millions, soit 62,8%, ont subi un acte de violence sous une forme ou une autre durant
l’année précédant l’enquête.
Les medias tous les jours nous rapportent l’amplitude et l’atrocité de cette violence. Le cas
émouvant de la petite Douâa à Kénitra, dont le violeur a été condamné à dix ans de prison
mercredi dernier, rappelle l’importance d’une mobilisation de tous les citoyens pour dénoncer cette
violence, d’un engagement de l’Etat pour punir les hommes qui la perpètrent, et pour aider les filles
et les femmes victimes à se rétablir et à devenir des agents de changement.
Travail considérable et remarquable sur le terrain
Des actions sont entreprises à tous les niveaux pour mettre fin à cette violence. Les militants et
militantes en faveur des droits des femmes réalisent un travail considérable et remarquable sur le
terrain depuis de nombreuses années. Leurs actions de plaidoyer, de sensibilisation, et de
formation, les centres d’écoute et les services d’hébergement d’urgence mis en place, les
initiatives d’autonomisation économiques développées pour permettre aux femmes de sortir du
cercle de la violence sont extraordinaires. J’ai été impressionné, lors de mes visites hors de Rabat,
par le travail réalisé sur le terrain par ces associations, dont je n’ai de cesse de saluer
l’engagement.
Sans cette mobilisation, les progrès actuels n’auraient pu être réalisés. Le Maroc dispose depuis
2002 d’une stratégie de lutte contre toutes les formes de violence à l’égard des femmes et
organise, depuis cette date, des campagnes nationales de sensibilisation sur ce sujet. La lutte
contre la violence à l’égard des femmes fait partie intégrante du Plan gouvernemental pour l’égalité
(PGE) adopté en juin de cette année par le gouvernement.
L’Union européenne, dans le cadre de son programme d’appui à la mise en œuvre de certaines
actions clés du PGE, d’un montant de 500 millions de dirhams, soutient de nombreuses mesures
visant la promotion des droits des femmes et la lutte contre toutes formes de violence à leur égard.
En ce qui concerne la sensibilisation aux droits des femmes, l’Union européenne appuie la
formation des juges, des avocats et des greffiers, et elle soutient la sensibilisation des filles, des
femmes et de l’ensemble des citoyens à dénoncer auprès des autorités compétentes (ministère de
la Santé, ministère de la Justice, police, gendarmerie en particulier) toute forme de violence
constatée ou subie. L’Union européenne appuie également le gouvernement sur le plan juridique,
pour la révision intégrale du Code pénal incluant la révision des dispositions relatives aux droits
des femmes – intégrant les dispositions requises relatives à la violence à l’égard des femmes – en
adéquation avec les engagements internationaux du Royaume et avec la Constitution de 2011.
L’adoption d’une loi spécifique de lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes, qui serait en
adéquation avec les normes internationales en la matière, et qui capitaliserait sur le travail
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conséquent réalisé jusqu’à présent par les acteurs et partenaires spécialisés dans le pays – dont
la contribution est très pertinente- fait également partie des éléments soutenus par le programme
de l’UE.
Dans le monde, plus d’une femme sur trois est,
au cours de sa vie, victime de violence, que ce
soit dans l’intimité de son foyer, à l’école, au travail
ou dans d’autres contextes civils, selon les données
de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé
A ce titre, je me réjouis que le chef de gouvernement ait nommé très récemment une Commission
spécifique afin de travailler sur ce projet de loi, qui je sais est attendu depuis de nombreuses
années par tous les acteurs nationaux engagés dans le domaine. La mise en place de services
spécifiques de prise en charge des filles et des femmes victimes de violence est également
soutenue par le programme d’appui de l’UE, en particulier à travers le développement et la mise à
niveau des cellules de prise en charge des enfants et des femmes au sein des tribunaux, des
espaces multifonctionnels de femmes ou encore de l’opérationnalisation du système
interinstitutionnel de lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes.
De façon complémentaire, nos instruments thématiques, que ce soient les programmes
thématiques «Investir dans les ressources humaines» ainsi que «acteurs non étatiques et autorités
locales», ou l’Instrument européen en faveur de la démocratie et des droits de l’Homme,
soutiennent la société civile dans ses efforts de promotion des droits des femmes, de lutte contre
les violences et de participation à la vie politique, économique et sociale.
Je tiens finalement à rendre hommage aux acteurs engagés pour les droits des femmes de la
société civile et du gouvernement, mais aussi aux citoyens marocains, qui par leurs actions au
quotidien contribuent à avancer dans la lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes.
Définition
Selon la définition de la Convention du Conseil de l’Europe, à laquelle ont souscrit nos pays, la
«violence à l’égard des femmes» doit être comprise comme une violation des droits de l’Homme et
une forme de discrimination à l’égard des femmes. Elle désigne tous les actes de violence fondés
sur le genre qui entraînent, ou sont susceptibles d’entraîner pour les femmes, des dommages ou
souffrances de nature physique, sexuelle, psychologique ou économique, y compris la menace de
se livrer à de tels actes, la contrainte ou la privation arbitraire de liberté, que ce soit dans la vie
publique ou privée.
- See more at: http://www.leconomiste.com/article/913305-lutte-contre-la-violence-l-gard-desfemmesl-affaire-de-touspar-rupert-joy#sthash.TyciYGpw.dpuf
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We must bring to light this hidden crime - head of Operations at
European Institute for Gender Equality in Lithuania
26/11/2013 - ELTA / Lithuania
Today, on the first day of the 16-day global campaign of Activism Against Gender Violence, the
City of Vienna, with the European Institute for Gender Equality and the WHO Regional Office for
Europe, will raise the anti-violence flag to draw attention in Europe to this hidden epidemic, the
website eige.europa.eu informs.
During their lives, 25.4 percent of women in the European Region experience physical and/or
sexual violence by intimate partners, and 5.2 percent experience sexual violence from people who
are not their partners, according to the WHO report Global and regional estimates of violence
against women.
"Violence against women can not be tolerated in any society," says Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO
Regional Director for Europe. "Eradicating violence requires determined efforts to promote gender
equality, challenge gender stereotypes and work with women and girls - not only as victims of
violence but as empowered agents of change. We must bridge sectors and engage all parts of
society for concerted action, aligned with the new European policy framework for health and wellbeing - Health 2020."
"Protection against violence involves restoring to women the dignity that violence has taken from
them. We must not stop drawing attention to violence committed against women and focusing on it
politically. Awareness raising is hard work, but it brings us closer to our goals," says Barbara
Prammer, President of the Austrian National Council. "Austria has established anti-violence
legislation, trailblazing also in the European context. Austria is also among the first countries to
have unconditionally ratified the Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating
violence against women and domestic violence. In its chairmanship role in the Council of Europe
as of November 2013, Austria will give particular emphasis to the issue of protection against
violence."
Experts meeting in Vienna on 25-26 November 2013 call on countries to adopt the new WHO
clinical and policy guidelines on and improve the recording of violence against women.
"We must bring to light this hidden crime and the many different forms that gender violence takes
throughout the European Union, from physical and psychological abuse in partnerships, to sexual
assault and rape, forced prostitution, trafficking in human beings and female genital mutilation,"
says Therese Murphy, Head of Operations at the European Institute for Gender Equality in Vilnius,
Lithuania. "Gender-based violence, which reflects the unequal distribution of power between
women and men in our society, is inflicted by men on women and girls. It reinforces inequalities
between men and women and compromises the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its
victims."
Audra Рeputytл
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La CE pide más protección para las mujeres frente a la mutilación
genital
26/11/2013 - Agencia EFE / Spain
La Comisión Europea (CE) pidió hoy que se refuerce la protección de las mujeres frente a la
mutilación genital, que aún supone una amenaza en 13 estados miembros, entre los que figura
España.
El Ejecutivo comunitario presentó hoy, en el Día Internacional de la Eliminación de la Violencia
contra la Mujer, una serie de medidas para asegurar que se respetan las normas europeas para
personas refugiadas y que estas acciones, que constituyen una violación de los derechos
humanos, son debidamente juzgadas en los tribunales.
La mutilación genital femenina, también reconocida como una forma de abuso de menores, afecta
a 500.000 mujeres en la UE y a más de 125 millones en el mundo.
Aunque esta práctica suele producirse durante estancias en un país tercero, la CE asegura que
también se está llevando a cabo en territorio comunitario.
"La Comisión reitera su compromiso en la lucha contra la violencia contra las mujeres y la
eliminación de la mutilación genital femenina, tanto en la UE como a nivel internacional", señaló la
comisaria europea de Justicia, Viviane Reding, en un comunicado.
Recordó asimismo que la CE no puede lograr este objetivo sola y que necesita la implicación de
los Estados miembros, Naciones Unidas, y las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales (ONG).
La jefa de la diplomacia europea, Catherine Ashton, por su parte, declaró que "todas las
herramientas y recursos políticos y económicos de la UE serán utilizados para promocionar
iniciativas y apoyar leyes que ayuden a crear un mundo donde ninguna niña sufra esta práctica
cruel e intolerable".
La propuesta de hoy de la CE incluye distintas iniciativas dirigidas a mejorar el entendimiento de
este fenómeno, reforzar la prevención y el apoyo a las víctimas, hacer más efectivo el seguimiento
judicial en los países comunitarios e impulsar la protección de las mujeres en riesgo en territorio
comunitario.
Según un informe reciente del Instituto Europeo de Igualdad de Género, citado por la CE, hay
víctimas o potenciales víctimas de mutilación genital femenina en España, Austria, Bélgica,
Dinamarca, Alemania, Finlandia, Francia, Irlanda, Italia, Holanda, Portugal, Suecia y el Reino
Unido.
Este estudio pone de manifiesto, no obstante, que la base para hacer frente a este problema es
contar con datos rigurosos.
Desde Amnistía Internacional, la directora de la campaña contra la mutilación genital, Christine
Loudes, hizo un llamamiento a los líderes europeos para que apliquen el plan de acción de la
Comisión Europea.
"El plan de la Comisión Europea debe ser apoyado por el liderazgo de los países de la UE",
aseguró en un comunicado Loudes, quien instó a los Veintiocho a aprovechar el impulso
internacional y adoptar la convención del Consejo de Europa para combatir la violencia contra las
mujeres.
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Jede vierte Frau in Europa Opfer von Gewalt
26/11/2013 - Voralberg online / Österreich
Das Wiener Rathaus ist derzeit Schauplatz einer zweitägigen internationalen Konferenz zum
Thema Gewalt an Frauen. Dass Handlungsbedarf besteht, zeigen aktuelle Daten der
Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO): Jede vierte Frau ist zumindest einmal im Leben Opfer von
Gewalt. Außenminister Spindelegger rief dazu auf, weltweit “neue Maßstäbe” zu setzen.
Diese Zahl bezieht sich auf die 53 Länder umfassende WHO Region Europa und stammt aus dem
aktuellen WHO Bericht “Globale und regionale Schätzungen zu Gewalt an Frauen”. Sie mache
deutlich, dass körperliche und/oder sexuelle Gewalt medizinisch gesprochen geradezu
epidemische Ausmaße habe, machte WHO-Genderberaterin Isabel Yordi Aguirre am Montag auf
die Dimension des oft versteckten Problems aufmerksam. Die Missstände zögen sich durch alle
Staaten und könnten keinesfalls auf rein regionaler oder nationaler Ebene, sondern nur im
Zusammenwirken aller wichtigen Player gelöst werden.
Gewalt unter Paaren weibliches Problem
Um den Kampf gegen Gewalt an Frauen zu forcieren, soll die Rolle der Gesundheitseinrichtungen
mehr in den Mittelpunkt gerückt werden. Denn an diese wenden sich Gewaltopfer am häufigsten.
Insofern werden im Rahmen der Konferenz auch neue WHO-Richtlinien für Ärzte und
Pflegepersonal vorgestellt. Sie enthalten Empfehlungen, wie Gewalt überhaupt erkannt und
Betroffene infolge klinisch betreut werden sollten, sowie zu Erstversorgung,
Fortbildungsmaßnahmen oder Fragen bezüglich der Meldepflicht von Fällen häuslicher Gewalt.
Letztere macht den Großteil der Vorfälle aus. Das Europäische Institut für Gleichstellungsfragen
(EIGE) hat erhoben, dass in den EU-Staaten der Anteil jener Bürgerinnen, die Opfer von
physischer Gewalt durch ihre Partner werden, zwischen 12 und 35 Prozent liegt. Dass Gewalt
unter Paaren vor allem ein weibliches Problem ist, zeigt die Tatsache, dass EU-weit neun von
zehn Opfern in der Partnerschaft Frauen sind.
Spindelegger verlangt “neue Maßstäbe”
Außerdem beunruhigend: Laut vorläufigen Daten einer Studie der Europäischen
Grundrechtsagentur (FRA), die 2014 veröffentlicht werden soll, wenden sich ganze 80 Prozent der
Frauen auch nach schwerwiegender Gewalt durch andere Täter nicht an Gesundheits-, Sozialoder Opferschutzeinrichtungen. Nicht zuletzt womöglich auch deshalb, da diese in vielen Staaten
nicht ausreichend vorhanden sind. So fehlen EU-weit EIGE zufolge rund 25.000
Frauenhausplätze.
Außenminister Spindelegger verlangt weltweit “neue Maßstäbe”. Konkret nannte er am Montag
eine neue Europarats-Konvention gegen Gewalt an Frauen, die 2014 unter Österreichs Vorsitz in
Kraft treten soll. SPÖ-Entwicklungssprecherin Petra Bayr berichtete, dass bis 70 Prozent aller
Frauen bereits Gewalt erlitten hätten. Gerade Opferschutzeinrichtungen für Frauen würden in
finanziell schwierigen Zeiten oftmals dem Sparstift zum Opfer fallen, beklagte Wiens
Gesundheitsstadträtin Wehsely.
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Croatian president becomes friend of European Women's Lobby
25/11/2013 - HINA / Croatia
Croatian President Ivo Josipovic has become a friend of the European Women's Lobby and
expressed his support to the fight for equality and a wish to have 2016 be the year when violence
against women would cease, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Croatian
President on Monday.
Josipovic has sent a letter of support to the European Women’s Lobby saying "I am a friend of the
European Women’s Lobby since we want to achieve the same: equality, non-violence and
prohibition of any discrimination against women."
"In particular, I support the European Women’s Lobby when it works, at the highest European
level, on implementing the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe. The Convention deals
with preventing domestic violence and offering adequate protection to victims. With respect to
implementation of the objectives of the Istanbul Convention, the European Women’s Lobby and I
share the same objectives. Therefore, I endorse your proposal for 2016 to become a European
Year to End Violence against Women. Likewise, I support the 50/50 Campaign championing
stronger involvement of women in political life both nationally and at the EU level. There is no true
democracy without equal participation of women in the decision-making process at key positions,"
Josipovic said in the letter.
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Violenza sulle donne: la vergogna di un uomo e la povertà della politica
25/11/2013 - I Fatto Quotidiano / Italy
Sentire Gabriella Battaini Dragoni, vicesegretaria generale del Consiglio d’Europa, dire che una
donna su tre, nella vita, subisca violenza, fa pensare a quanto ancora ci sia da fare per
raggiungere anche solo la decenza di civiltà nel mondo.
Nessuno è escluso: la violenza trova ancora terreno fertile anche in quelle società che per tanti
altri aspetti di facciata possono definirsi “avanzate”. Seppure siano stati fatti molti passi in avanti,
rispetto a tante altre aree del mondo, dove la donna è ancora vittima di un impianto culturale
fortemente e dichiaratamente maschilista, c’è ancora tanta strada da fare.
E’ un dovere civile informare ed educare al rispetto della donna, non c’è crisi o catastrofe che
possa eclissare un tema così disgustoso. Nella vita ho conosciuto tante donne vittime di ignobili
violenti e chissà quante non hanno avuto occasione o voglia di coinvolgermi in racconti di ingiurie
subite. Ho imparato ad onorare la loro resilienza e ammirarne la forza di tornare ad affrontare la
vita, pur cariche di tanto sdegno, aprendosi nuovamente al rischio di un nuovo e a volte
insospettabile deviato.
Soprattutto, ho provato vergogna. Imbarazzo, di sentirsi inerme nel comprenderequanto dolore e,
allo stesso tempo, quanto coraggio ci fosse in una donna simile,
anche solamente nell’interloquire con un rappresentante dell’altro sesso. Orrore, di pensare che la
violenza in casa sia solo una delle tante manifestazioni dell’ignominia maschile verso le donne, ma
forse una delle peggiori, perché biecamente nascosta dietro una facciata apparentemente
innocente.
Oggi è la giornata mondiale contro la violenza sulle donne. Da uomo, visto che spesso vedo e
leggo solo servizi di donne che parlano di altre donne quando si tocca l’argomento violenza, vorrei
far sentire la mia vicinanza e aggiungermi al coro di protesta per uno Stato ancora arretrato nella
cultura della prevenzione. Del resto, difficile anche solo iniziare un discorso di educazione a partire
dalle scuole, quando ripetiamo – nei tre cicli scolastici – la storia delle guerre che si sono
susseguite nei secoli, ma mai una volta si insegna quella che un tempo era la già trascurata
“educazione civica”. Quando i fondi all’istruzione e lo stato di strutture e infrastrutture scolastiche
sono ai livelli di un Paese arretrato.
Appare evidente che la famosa “famiglia”, di cui tanto si parla strumentalmente in politica, non sia
sufficiente a risolvere un problema tanto radicato quanto cinicamente e rapidamente digerito dalla
politica e dai media; non riesca a trasmettere valori ormai pasto di sterili ripicche televisive, ma mai
argomenti di evoluzione sociale.
Sono ormai più di vent’anni che la politica si limita a lavorare su singoli interventi legislativi e
sappiamo bene perché: chi visita il sito e legge il cartaceo, sa che Il Fatto Quotidiano offra molti
spunti utili per capirlo.
Si è persa, da ogni parte, la lungimiranza che occorre a comprendere quanto sia importante
costruire una strategia a lungo termine, in cui organizzare una serie di interventi secondo priorità e
sinergie operative ben definite, in maniera da fare i famosi “passi verso un Paese migliore”. La
violenza sulle donne è solo una delle manifestazioni della povertà culturale radicata nella nostra
società, dell’assenza di un vero disegno politico per il Paese.
Pertanto, il primo e più fondamentale passo da compiere è quello di creare una società in grado di
generare al suo interno individui migliori, nel rispetto della diversità di pensiero. Tutto questo parte
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dall’apparato rigeneratore della società: la scuola e l’università. Istituzione sbriciolata: al suo
interno, dall’apatia di un corpo insegnante impegnato a costruire baronati alle spalle di chi ha
veramente merito; all’esterno, da uno Stato sempre più parco di finanziamenti e incapace di dare
ossigeno alle vere capacità che emigrano o rischiano di spegnersi in una misera rassegnazione,
dopo aver lottato contro un muro di gomma.
L’impressione è che, negli anni, il “sistema Italia” sia diventato capace di espellere gli onesti,
reprimere il merito, accettare la violenza. Non parlatemiancora di nuove leggi. Si è sicuramente
fatto del lavoro, anche di recente, ma penso di poter dire con buona certezza che non c’è donna,
che abbia subito violenza, in grado di accettare l’idea che punizioni più severe ripaghino il danno
subito.
Sogno un’Italia che torni a pensare come un Paese, ben lontano dai discorsi che si sentono in
politica oggi, vicini a una riunione di condominio. Le dirette parlamentari, che seguo da quando
avevo 14 anni, si sono trasformate in una gara a chi riesce a sfornare la battuta migliore contro
l’avversario o chi si lamenta come vittima del bullismo del compagno di scranno. Assomigliano ad
una classe di scolaretti indisciplinati…non mi meraviglia che sia complesso in un Parlamento tale,
parlare della vera crescita, quella culturale e valoriale di un Paese, a fondamento di un futuro
migliore, a partire dalle donne.
di Ascanio Vitale
78
Jede vierte Frau in Europa Opfer von Gewalt
25/11/2013 - APA / Osterreich
Anlässlich der internationalen Konferenz zum Thema "Gewalt an Frauen" fordert Außenminister
Spindelegger weltweit "neue Maßstäbe". Schätzungen zufolge ist in Österreich ebenfalls jede
vierte bis fünfte Frau von Gewalt betroffen.
Das Wiener Rathaus ist derzeit Schauplatz einer zweitägigen internationalen Konferenz zum
Thema Gewalt an Frauen. Dass Handlungsbedarf besteht, zeigen aktuelle Daten der
Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO): Jede vierte Frau ist zumindest einmal im Leben Opfer von
Gewalt. Außenminister Spindelegger rief dazu auf, weltweit "neue Maßstäbe" zu setzen.
Diese Zahl bezieht sich auf die 53 Länder umfassende WHO Region Europa und stammt aus dem
aktuellen WHO Bericht "Globale und regionale Schätzungen zu Gewalt an Frauen". Sie mache
deutlich, dass körperliche und/oder sexuelle Gewalt medizinisch gesprochen geradezu
epidemische Ausmaße habe, machte WHO-Genderberaterin Isabel Yordi Aguirre am Montag auf
die Dimension des oft versteckten Problems aufmerksam. Die Missstände zögen sich durch alle
Staaten und könnten keinesfalls auf rein regionaler oder nationaler Ebene, sondern nur im
Zusammenwirken aller wichtigen Player gelöst werden.
Gesundheitseinrichtungen im Mittelpunkt
Um den Kampf gegen Gewalt an Frauen zu forcieren, soll die Rolle der Gesundheitseinrichtungen
mehr in den Mittelpunkt gerückt werden. Denn an diese wenden sich Gewaltopfer am häufigsten.
Insofern werden im Rahmen der Konferenz auch neue WHO-Richtlinien für Ärzte und
Pflegepersonal vorgestellt. Sie enthalten Empfehlungen, wie Gewalt überhaupt erkannt und
Betroffene infolge klinisch betreut werden sollten, sowie zu Erstversorgung,
Fortbildungsmaßnahmen oder Fragen bezüglich der Meldepflicht von Fällen häuslicher Gewalt.
Letztere macht den Großteil der Vorfälle aus. Das Europäische Institut für Gleichstellungsfragen
(EIGE) hat erhoben, dass in den EU-Staaten der Anteil jener Bürgerinnen, die Opfer von
physischer Gewalt durch ihre Partner werden, zwischen 12 und 35 Prozent liegt. Dass Gewalt
unter Paaren vor allem ein weibliches Problem ist, zeigt die Tatsache, dass EU-weit neun von
zehn Opfern in der Partnerschaft Frauen sind.
Außerdem beunruhigend: Laut vorläufigen Daten einer Studie der Europäischen
Grundrechtsagentur (FRA), die 2014 veröffentlicht werden soll, wenden sich ganze 80 Prozent der
Frauen auch nach schwerwiegender Gewalt durch andere Täter nicht an Gesundheits-, Sozialoder Opferschutzeinrichtungen. Nicht zuletzt womöglich auch deshalb, da diese in vielen Staaten
nicht ausreichend vorhanden sind. So fehlen EU-weit EIGE zufolge rund 25.000
Frauenhausplätze.
Außenminister Spindelegger verlangt weltweit "neue Maßstäbe". Konkret nannte er am Montag
eine neue Europarats-Konvention gegen Gewalt an Frauen, die 2014 unter Österreichs Vorsitz in
Kraft treten soll. SPÖ-Entwicklungssprecherin Petra Bayr berichtete, dass bis 70 Prozent aller
Frauen bereits Gewalt erlitten hätten. Gerade Opferschutzeinrichtungen für Frauen würden in
finanziell schwierigen Zeiten oftmals dem Sparstift zum Opfer fallen, beklagte Wiens
Gesundheitsstadträtin Wehsely.
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New standards' needed for protecting women
25/11/2013 - APA News / Österreich
Vienna - Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger has called on the international community to set
new standards for protecting women against violence. On the International Day for the Elimination
of Violence against Women (November 25), Spindelegger of the conservative People's Party (VP)
spoke of a new Council of Europe convention to deal with the issue, which would become effective
in 2014 under Austria's leadership.
Social Democrat (SP) development spokeswoman Petra Bayr said on Monday that around 70
percent of all women have experienced violence at one time or another.
According to the Austrian Criminal Statistics from 2012, there were 28,505 charges of violence,
either physical, psychological (such as imprisonment) or sexual. In all three groups together,
around 42 percent of the victims were women. But with sexual violence, women were the victims in
88 percent of the cases. In addition, the number of unregistered cases was suspected of being far
higher.
"It is a shocking fact that millions of women and girls all over the world are still often subjected to
violence, even today," said Spindelegger. He added that one could not stand idly by, and that the
fight to stop these human rights violations had to continue.
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Oberstaatsanwältin: Straftrecht zu sexueller Nötigung reformieren
26/11/2013 - epd Basisdienst / Deutschland
Die Saarbrücker Oberstaatsanwältin Sabine Kräuter-Stockton sieht dringenden Reformbedarf bei
den gesetzlichen Regelungen, die Vergewaltigung und sexuelle Nötigung unter Strafe stellen. In
Deutschland könnten Täter nur dann verurteilt werden, wenn die Vergewaltigung von Gewalt oder
Drohungen begleitet werde oder an einem abgelegenen Ort stattfinde, sagte Kräuter-Stockton am
Montag im Sender Deutschlandradio Kultur anlässlich des Internationalen Tages zur Beseitigung
von Gewalt gegen Frauen. Im typischen Fall von sexueller Gewalt innerhalb einer Partnerschaft
werde es zu keiner Verurteilung kommen - auch, wenn das Gericht dem Opfer glaube und auch
wenn dieses dem Täter durch Weinen oder durch Worte klar gemacht habe, dass es keinen
Geschlechtsverkehr will.
Kräuter-Stockton forderte vor diesem Hintergrund, dem britischen Vorbild zu folgen und alle nicht
einvernehmlich vorgenommenen sexuellen Handlungen unter Strafe zu stellen. Das sehe auch
eine 2011 verabschiedete Konvention des Europarates vor, die in Deutschland aber noch nicht
ratifiziert worden sei.
"Ich denke, wir brauchen einen politischen Willen - und erst wenn der da ist, wird sich auch etwas
ändern", betonte sie. Bei der deutschen Diskussion um die Vergewaltigung in der Ehe schwinge
immer noch teilweise die Vorstellung mit, dass es die Pflicht des Opfers sei, das zu erdulden,
kritisierte Kräuter-Stockton.
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Cosa prevede la convenzione di Istanbul
25/11/2013 - VanityFair.it ./Italy
Una cosa da sapere oggi: nella Giornata mondiale contro la violenza sulle donne vediamo, punto
per punto, cosa dice la convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa
In Italia è legge dallo scorso giugno, quando, dopo la ratifica della Camera, è arrivata anche quella
del Senato. È la Convenzione di Istanbul, adottata dal Comitato dei Ministri del Consiglio d'Europa
il 7 aprile 2011 e aperta alla firma l'11 maggio dello stesso anno. Finora è stata firmata da 29 stati.
È il primo strumento internazionale giuridicamente vincolante che crea un quadro completo per
proteggere le donne contro qualsiasi forma di violenza. Qui trovate l’intero testo, 81 articoli in 12
capitoli, noi ve lo raccontiamo capitolo per capitolo…
Capitolo I ovvero obiettivi e definizioni
La Convezione ha l’obiettivo di proteggere la donna da ogni forma di violenza, di contribuire a
eliminare ogni forma di discriminazione e promuovere la concreta parità tra i sessi. Si applica in
tempo di pace e di guerra a tutte le forme di violenza, compresa quella domestica. Per violenza nei
confronti delle donne si intende una violazione dei diritti umani e una forma di discriminazione
contro le donne, minorenni comprese.
Capitolo II su Politiche integrate e raccolta dei dati
L’obiettivo è fornire una risposta globale alla violenza contro il genere femminile che coinvolga
agenzie governative, parlamenti, autorità nazionali, ma anche organizzazioni non governative e
società civile. Sono designati uno o più organismi ufficiali responsabili del coordinamento e della
valutazione delle politiche sul tema.
Il Capitolo III si occupa della prevenzione
L’impegno di chi sottoscrive la Convenzione è quello di promuovere i cambiamenti nei
comportamenti socio-culturali delle donne e degli uomini, al fine di eliminare pregiudizi, costumi,
tradizioni e qualsiasi altra pratica basata sull'idea dell'inferiorità della donna. Con le leggi, ma
anche con programmi e attività destinati ad aumentare il livello di autonomia e di emancipazione
delle donne. I temi della parità dei sessi e del rispetto reciproco devono entrare nei programmi
scolastici, nei centri sportivi, culturali e nei mass media.
Capitolo IV sulla protezione
Protezione e sostegno alle vittime di violenza vengono sanciti attraverso misure legislative e non
solo che devono concentrarsi sui diritti umani e sulla sicurezza della vittima. I servizi di supporto
(consulenza legale, sostegno psicologico, alloggio ecc…) devono essere attivati anche se la
vittima non intenta una causa o non testimonia contro chi ha compiuto il reato. La protezione è
estesa ai bambini testimoni di violenza.
Capitolo V ovvero dei diritti
Gli stati che sottoscrivono la Convenzione si impegnano a mettere a disposizione delle vittime
adeguati mezzi di ricorso civili nei confronti dell'autore del reato e possibilità di risarcimenti. Si
chiede la penalizzazione dei matrimoni forzati, delle mutilazioni genitali femminili, dell'aborto e
della sterilizzazione forzata. Puniti anche violenza psicologica e atti persecutori, cioè lo stalking.
Non è giustificabile nessun reato commesso in nome dell’onore.
Capitolo VI, processi e investigazioni
Le indagini non devono essere ritardate, devono prendere in considerazione i diritti della vittima e
proteggerla adeguatamente anche con l’allontanamento dell’autore della violenza nel caso sia
avvenuta in casa. Il procedimento deve poter continuare anche se la vittima dovesse ritrattare
l’accusa. Le vittime devono essere informate se l’autore della violenza è di nuovo libero e
conoscere l’andamento del processo. Devono avere diritto all'assistenza legale e al gratuito
patrocinio secondo quanto prescrive ogni stato.
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Capitolo VII, per stranieri e rifugiati
La vittima di violenza il cui status di residente in un paese dipenda dall’autore del reato deve avere
la possibilità di ottenere un titolo autonomo di soggiorno e la sospensione di eventuali procedure di
espulsione.
La violenza contro le donne basata sul genere può essere riconosciuta come una forma di
persecuzione per ottenere lo status di rifugiato.
Capitolo VIII sulla cooperazione internazionale
Uniformità e reciprocità sono i principi che devono essere rispettati nell’armonizzare la
Convenzione con le leggi nazionali per prevenire la violenza, proteggere e assistere le vittime,
condurre le indagini, applicare le sentenze. La Convenzione può essere considerate base
giuridica, se non ci sono altre disposizioni, in caso si richieda l’estradizione e per l’esecuzione delle
sentenze civili o penali.
Capitolo IX ovvero GREVIO
Grevio è il gruppo di esperti sulla lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza
domestica. Ha il compito di vigilare sull'attuazione della Convenzione ed è composto da un minimo
di 10 a un massimo di 15 membri.
Capitolo X sugli accordi
Chi firma la Convenzione può fare accordi bilaterali o multilaterali relativi alle questioni disciplinate
dalla stessa. Il fine deve essere quello di integrarne o rafforzarne le disposizioni o di facilitare
l’applicazione dei principi.
Capitolo XI ovvero dei cambiamenti
I paesi firmatari possono proporre emendamenti che vengono esaminati dal Comitato dei Ministri
del Consiglio d’Europa. Può adottarlo solo dopo avere consultato i paesi extra Ue che abbiano
sottoscritto la Convenzione.
Capitolo XII, le clausole finali
Le disposizioni della Convenzione non pregiudicano altri strumenti interni o internazionali che
riconoscano i diritti più favorevoli per la prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza sulle donne e la
violenza domestica. Gli Stati che firmano possono indicare il territorio o i territori di applicazione,
non sono ammesse riserve alle disposizioni della Convenzione.
di Chiara Pizzimenti
83
A turning point in combating violence against women
23/11/2013 - The FINANCIAL/ Georgia
“2013 will prove to have been a turning point in combating violence against women,” said José
Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD) in Vienna today at the meeting of the Standing Committee of
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), ahead of the International Day for
the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), according to the Parliamentary
Assembly.
“The interaction between the pressure created by the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women and the debate over the signature and ratification of the Istanbul Convention is starting to
make a breach in the wall,” he added. “This is clear from the increased attention that politicians
are devoting to violence against women, the number of NGO and civil society initiatives, and the
visibility that it has had in the media.”
In the light of this positive momentum, the PACE Standing Committee, examining Mr Mendes
Bota’s report, stated that “no efforts should be spared to achieve the 10 ratifications that are
necessary for the entry into force of the Convention by the end of 2013” and underlined the crucial
role played by parliamentarians in this context, in particular through the Parliamentary Network
“Women free from Violence”.
The parliamentarians recalled that the Istanbul Convention was the most comprehensive
international, legally binding instrument for the prevention of violence against women.
To take the example of stalking, which affects almost 10% of the population of Europe – mainly
women – the Convention requires States Parties to establish a specific criminal offence for it,
which is not currently the case in most Council of Europe member States. In this connection, the
resolution adopted today by the Standing Committee, on the basis of the report by Gisela Wurm
(Austria, SOC), proposes a series of measures to raise awareness among legislators, the police
and the general public of the question of stalking, including cyber-stalking – the persistent and
threatening intrusion online – and to develop support services for victims.
More generally, PACE recommended that the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers
contribute to strengthening the national legal and policy frameworks in the area of violence against
women, by providing legal advice and expertise on draft legislation, according to the
Parliamentary Assembly.
84
Schoolgirls in Finland forced abroad for arranged marriages
21/11/2013 - YLE News / Finland
Pupils from at least one school in western Finland have been forced into marriages. So far Finland
has not specifically banned the practice.
Yle has learned that girls from immigrant families at a school in Western Finland have been sent
abroad into forced marriages. Teachers say they are aware of the situation but are unable to do
anything about it.
“I've encountered situations where marriages have already been arranged for girls who’ve come
here from elsewhere. Some of them are actually pleased with the situation, but there are some
who want to continue their studies,” says a teacher at the school.
The teacher points out that not all youngsters from other cultures are aware of Finland’s equality
standards.
“In some cases, girls who’ve been subjected to genital mutilation open up to Finnish adults about
the pain they have experienced. You get the feeling that this is not right. It’s not according to any
religion, it’s a cultural thing,” the teacher says.
Should forced marriage be criminalised?
Under Finnish law, forced marriage can be defined as human trafficking and therefore as a crime -but not a single case has so far been investigated.
“We receive 15-20 inquiries annually about forced marriage. But these cases are kind of hidden, so
we can assume that these are just the tip of the iceberg,” says Natalie Gerbert of the Monika
Multicultural Women’s Association of Finland, an umbrella organization for groups of women of
ethnic minorities.
“The youngest girl that we have heard about in an arranged marriage case was 13,” says Gerbert.
"She had to leave the country."
Gerbert says that some girls have moved to Finland through arranged marriages, and feel
extremely lonely here.
The organisation is calling for specific legislation criminalising forced marriages in Finland.
“The Istanbul Convention, which the Finnish government has signed, requires the criminalisation of
forced marriage. Norway and Denmark, for instance, have already outlawed it,” notes Gerbert.
The Istanbul Convention, formally known as the Convention on preventing and combating violence
against women and domestic violence, was launched by the Council of Europe in 2011.
It has so far been signed by 32 nations. However only seven European countries have ratified it,
short of the 10 required for it to come into force. Finland and Sweden signed it in May 2011 but
have yet to ratify it.
Wednesday was UN Children's Rights Day.
85
Turkey: Gendarmerie extends help to disadvantaged women
20/11/2013 - Today's Zaman / Turkey
The Turkish Gendarmerie is set to launch a new project to fight domestic violence against women
in Turkey, in addition to its existing efforts.
As part of its work to prevent domestic violence against women, the Gendarmerie aims to increase
the quality and diversity of its services for women in this respect.
In 2013, the Gendarmerie provided assistance to 20,163 women in Turkey, where two out of every
five women have been exposed to violence, and out of these gave restraining orders to 4,145.
Speaking at a Gendarmerie ceremony organized for the project's inauguration on Tuesday,
Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Servet Yoruk stressed the importance of a zero-tolerance
approach to domestic violence, saying the force places importance on the employment of female
staff and noting that they are involved in the fight against this type of crime.
"Our women should not feel desperate, as the Gendarmerie stands up against violence," he
explained.
"Laws are not enough to fight against violence; minds need to change"
Commenting on the project, EU Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said, "A man
who uses violence against a woman is cowardly, not brave," adding that laws are not sufficient if
attitudes do not also change.
He emphasized the significant role that the state and Gendarmerie have played in preventing
violence against women. Turkey was the first country to ratify the Council of Europe (CoE)
Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, at the
Istanbul Convention in 2012.
The Convention aims to protect women against all forms of violence. It requires the signatories to
criminalize the practices of forced marriage, female genital mutilation, forced abortion and
sterilization, sexual harassment and stalking.
In addition to Turkey's efforts to protect women from violence, Bagis also touched on gender
equality, recalling that Turkey granted women the right to vote and stand for elections before many
European countries.
Describing violence against women as an urgent problem for humanity, Interior Minister Muammer
Guler has said that in addition to legal measures, both women and men should be educated on this
subject.
"The Gendarmerie staff will be trained on their responsibility to prevent domestic violence against
women and the steps to be taken during such women's application procedures," Guler added.
With this project, the Gendarmerie also aims to develop cooperation with other public institutions
and organizations, including non-governmental organizations and universities working on the
subject, to establish new models and coordination mechanisms.
At the ceremony, Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Sahin explained some amendments to
the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and expounded the Gendarmerie's stance on the prevention of
violence towards women.
Sahin also noted the importance of education, which she said would eventually lead to a
transformation of people's mindset.
86
Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Turkey Bela Szombati said the project would
be a significant contribution to the fight against domestic violence and that the EU would continue
to provide assistance to Turkey in this effort.
Violence against women killed 171 in two years
SonGul Yakut, head of the Gendarmerie's domestic violence unit, said 25,000 women suffered
from violence and 76 lost their lives in 2012. She noted that the figure for 2013 has already
reached 28,000 women, 95 of whom died.
"Women who are exposed to violence should apply to the Gendarmerie immediately. They can call
156," she said, adding that her department is constantly informing the public on this issue.
Ministry to offer four counselling sessions to couples pre-divorce
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Sahin has announced that, in the hope of saving 20,000
marriages a year, her ministry will offer four counselling sessions to partners before they make the
final decision to divorce, the Milliyet daily reported on Tuesday.
In remarks to the daily, she said couples planning to divorce will have the option of four sessions
with a counsellor, each session lasting 90 minutes, and then the couples will decide the fate of
their marriage.
The project aims to reduce divorce rates in the country, which have increased dramatically in
recent years.
The counselling services offered to couples will be given before and during the divorce
proceedings. The counselling centres will work in coordination with family courts.
When this project comes into effect, family court judges will give couples the option of using
counselling services at a Social Services Centre.
The ministry has offered training to personnel across 81 provinces ahead of the change.
Sahin said the project has already been tested in pilot schemes in five regions, and has begun to
yield positive results.
"We have seen that 75 out of 450 couples decided to continue with their marriages following the
support we gave them. Financial factors play a significant role [in divorce decisions] in addition to a
lack of communication and empathy. We sat and discussed the infrastructure of a system to give
counselling to couples who have launched divorce proceedings. A commission has been set up.
We came together with family courts judges [to discuss the project]. We will take this project,
together with the justice minister, to the Cabinet. ... We aim to save 20,000 marriages every year
with this project."
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International Conference on Preventing and Combating Violence
Against Women and Domestic Violence
11/11/2013 - SarajevoTimes-FENA / Bosnia and Herzegovina
The international conference with the participation of representatives of legislative and executive
authorities from 29 NGOs of Women’s from Serbia, B&H, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia and
Austria was held last weekend in Belgrade. This conference was about coordinated efforts for the
establishment of the European standards on protection of women from gender-based violence,
with a special emphasis on the promotion and implementation of the Istanbul Convention (The
convention of the European Council on prevention and combating violence against women and
domestic violence).
On the behalf of the Parliamentarians Network “Women Free of Violence” of the Council of Europe,
the General Rapporteur of the Council of Europe on violence against women Jose Mendes Bota
addressed the audience.
Ismeta Dervoz represented the B&H Parliamentary Assembly at this event and informed the
participants that on 7 November B&H deposited instruments for the ratification of the Convention of
the Council of the Europe and thus became the 6th country of the 32 that signed the Convention
and brought the process to an end. B&H will be among the 10 countries that will put this powerful
legal instrument into operation.
88
EU-Turkey: progress in women's human rights by Štefan Füle
07/11/2013 - Today's Zaman / Turkey
The question of violence against women and girls is not an issue for women and girls only. It is a
shared responsibility of all of us to fight it. Only a few weeks ago we published this year's Progress
Report on Turkey, and it has been well received across the board. Just two days ago, we
welcomed a significant advance in relations between Turkey and the European Union: the opening
of the negotiating chapter 22 on "Regional Policy." This is the first time in over three years that a
new chapter is opened.
I hope that the positive momentum created by these events will lead to further steps, including the
signature by Turkey of the readmission agreement and the launch in parallel of the visa dialogue,
ultimately leading to visa free travel for Turkish citizens visiting Schengen countries. I also look
forward to progress in the negotiations on the basic building blocks of any European Union
accession process, namely the respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, which are set out in
chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security).
This would provide a significant contribution to Turkey's reform efforts in line with the democratic
aspirations of the Turkish people.
Recent developments in your country show what can be achieved with political will, courage and
dialogue. To name just a few:
· the fourth judicial reform package adopted in April, which strengthens the protection of
fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and the fight against impunity for cases of
torture and ill-treatment;
· the peace process which aims to end terrorism and violence in the Southeast of the country and
pave the way for a solution to the Kurdish issue;
· the measures announced in the September 2013 democratization package which sets out further
reform, covering important issues such as the use of languages other than Turkish, and minority
rights.
The challenge now is to build on this progress.
Women's rights and gender issues have been of paramount importance to this country ever since
the foundation of the republic. These issues are crucial to all Turkish citizens irrespective of their
gender, and for the modernization of Turkish society. No bird can fly on one wing. No society can
advance if half of its members are less than fully part of decision making, educational achievement
and the labor market. This also affects how the country is perceived internationally.
Turkey was the first country to ratify the Council of Europe Convention against Domestic Violence;
the Istanbul Convention. We commend the efforts that Turkey has made in committing to this and
other international efforts to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. I
would like to underline once again the importance the European Union attaches to the promotion of
women's rights and gender equality both in the Member States and in partner countries, in
particular in the enlargement countries.
It is my pleasure to express particular appreciation for the initiatives undertaken by Minister Şahin
during her term of office, notably through the adoption in March last year of the Law on the
Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence.
Turkey's effort to ensure women's full and legitimate participation in society has been clear for
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many years. In 2009, a Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities for Men and Women was
established for the first time. The right to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave was extended to many
public servants. Training and other activities to enhance awareness of gender issues as regards
public servants and health personnel took place. The commission maintains its full support for such
reform efforts.
Together with our Turkish counterparts we have implemented a number of successful projects
through the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance such as:
· the recently finalized project promoting women's employment; and
· projects supporting women's entrepreneurship and promoting gender equality in working life.
New projects are in the pipeline, and we are committed to further increasing our support in this
area in the future.
But these efforts need to be advanced and consolidated. Turkey is not alone in the worldwide
struggle for gender equality. The Europe 2020 Strategy set a series of targets that European Union
Member States are committed to achieve and which might also provide inspiration for similar
developments in Turkey. Five measurable European Union targets for 2020 will steer the process
and be translated into gender-specific national targets:
1. for employment;
2. for research and innovation;
3. for climate change and energy;
4. for education; and
5. for combating poverty.
Priority is given to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. By 2020: three-quarters (75 percent) of
the population aged between 20 and 64 should be employed, the share of early school leavers
should be less than one in 10 (10 percent), and at least four in 10 (40 percent) of the younger
generation should have a third level degree. Member States are required to achieve full equity in
gender participation in the labor force by 2020. We invite Turkey to endorse the targets of the
Europe 2020 strategy, and to further empower women to participate more actively in politics, to
have increased access to education and be more actively involved in the labor market.
For this country, this means in concrete terms:
· Establishing an anti-discrimination and equality board to mainstream gender equality in the
legislative process, as announced in September by Prime Minister Erdoğan as part of the
democratization package;
· Achieving tangible results in the area of women's inclusion in politics;
· Making every possible effort to close the gender gap in education, especially in the Southeast,
where it remains significant;
· Closing the gender employment gap by adopting adequate policies to create the conditions for
women's access to labor.
Let me briefly recall the areas in which significant advancement is needed in women's rights:
90
First, Turkey needs to make sustained efforts to increase women's political representation.
Compared with the European Union average and international standards, Turkey lags behind in
terms of women's representation in political decision making at national, local and municipal levels.
In the 2011 elections, women's participation in Parliament increased approximately from 9 percent
to 14 percent of its membership. This is still about a half of the European Union average.
Turkey needs to encourage the political representation of women, especially at the municipal level,
where only 1 percent of Turkish municipalities have a female mayor. All parties need to place a
sufficient number of female candidates in eligible positions. The government of Turkey has set
moderately ambitious targets in this regard. In the upcoming municipal elections in March 2014,
the commission will be observing the efforts of the Turkish government to significantly raise the
participation of eligible women candidates with deep interest.
Second, as regards women's access to education, there has been good progress in 2013,
following a positive trend from previous years. The enrolment rate for girls in Turkey has been on a
constant rise since 2010. Fewer girls leave school early. Furthermore, the gender gap in primary
education has been reduced in recent years, not least due to the government's 2003 "Let's go to
school" campaign. This is good practice that needs to be sustained and improved, in particular by
ensuring that girls continue to attend school at a later age and by addressing the problem of school
drop-outs.
The gender gap in access to education is narrowing but it remains sizeable in some regions,
especially in the Southeast. Female early school leaving rate remains high, still four times higher in
Turkey than in the European Union, and low enrolment in secondary and tertiary education
remains a major obstacle to Turkish women's educational attainment.
Third, as regards women's access to employment we encourage Turkey to take action to increase
the participation of women in the workforce, particularly in rural areas. In Turkey, just over 30
percent of total female employment in 2012 consisted of informal, unpaid family workers in
agriculture. Such workers often do not enjoy any social protection apart from that afforded by other
family members. Informal work is in general more widespread for women in all labor sectors.
We are all aware that progress on women's rights also depends on a change in mentality and
perceptions on gender. Such change cannot take place overnight, neither in Turkey nor anywhere
else. More work is needed to break down stereotypes and change perceptions of gender roles in
all spheres. It is already a few years since the commission concluded that Turkey already has the
overall legal framework that guarantees women's rights and gender equality broadly in place and in
line with European standards. Turkey now needs to make sustained efforts to turn legislation into
social, economic and political reality, along with the necessary change in mentality. And I
appreciate Minister Fatma Şahin's commitment and her steer on these issues. The European
Union will be a solid partner and, whenever possible, also a resource for Turkey on this road.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stefan Füle is European commissioner for enlargement and neighborhood policy. This text is
based on the speech made by Stefan Füle at the "Progress in Women's Human Rights''
conference in İstanbul on Nov. 7, 2013.
91
Chessidice in viale dell'Editoria
25/10/2013 - ItaliaOggi / Italy
Rai, policy aziendale a tutela delle donne. La presidente della Rai Anna Maria Tarantola ha
annunciato la firma da parte di viale Mazzini della policy aziendale in materia di genere. La Rai, ha
ricordato la presidente, è stata la prima tv pubblica europea a dare attuazione all'indirizzo del
Consiglio d'Europa riguardo la «Convenzione sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei
confronti delle donne e la violenza domestica» che è stata recepita in Italia con la legge n. 77 del
27 giugno 2013. Nel documento il settore dei mass media viene invitato al rispetto della libertà di
espressione e di partecipazione, al fine di attuare politiche interne che prevengano la violenza
contro le donne e rafforzino il rispetto delle loro dignità.
La policy aziendale si concretizza, tra l'altro, assicurando alle donne di potersi esprimere
accedendo in misura sempre più crescente ai processi decisionali, realizzando una offerta
editoriale complessiva che garantisca il rispetto della dignità umana, delle minoranze, della figura
femminile in tutti i suoi aspetti attraverso una rappresentazione dignitosa, reale, non stereotipata
né discriminatoria che rifletta la molteplicità dei ruoli che la donna svolge nella vita sociale,
culturale, economia e politica del paese, favorendo una maggiore presenza delle donne all'interno
dei programmi d'informazione e di intrattenimento e fornendo strumenti di conoscenza volti a
prevenire e contrastare la violenza sulle donne, evitando in particolare l'uso di immagini e
contenuti discriminatori e che possano contribuire alla violenza di genere.Con Corriere e Gazzetta
«Milo Manara - Maestro dell'eros». Corriere della Sera e Gazzetta dello Sport, in collaborazione
con Panini Comics, presentano una collana interamente a colori che ripercorre in 20 volumi le
migliori opere di Milo Manara. La prima uscita è in edicola oggi a 10,99 euro.Concordato
Preventivo per Editori PerLaFinanza. Il tribunale di Milano ha approvato ieri definitivamente il
concordato preventivo di Editori PerLa Finanza rigettando la richiesta di revoca del commissario
giudiziale Carlo Bianco che si era opposto all'approvazione. È quanto comunica la famiglia
Coppola, alla quale fa capo la società editrice.Telecom Italia con Cubogiochi e Ultra Internet a
Games Week. Telecom Italia sarà alla Games Week che si svolge a Milano da oggi a domenica.
Fra le soluzioni proposte Cubogiochi, la piattaforma per il mondo mobile dedicata al gaming, e
l'Ultra Internet in fibra ottica.Google Usa testa i banner pubblicitari al centro della pagina di ricerca.
Google sperimenta negli Usa inserzioni pubblicitarie sulla propria pagina iniziale di ricerca. In
questa prima fase partita ieri e che dovrebbe durare una settimana, compare un banner nella parte
centrale. Precedentemente alle inserzioni pubblicitarie erano dedicate le pagine con i risultati delle
ricerche, al lato o prima di queste ultime.Radionorba Television sbarca su Sky. Radionorba
Television da oggi sarà visibile al canale 730 della piattaforma Sky, ma free to air ovvero
gratuitamente non solo agli abbonati Sky ma a tutti coloro che abbiano accesso al satellite.Touring
Club riacquista il 100% di Touring Editore. Tci ha riacquisito il 100% di Touring Editore, rilevando la
quota che era stata ceduta nel 2006 alla Giunti.
92
Religion and State conspire to keep women living in fear by Jacky
Jones, manager
01/10/2013 - The Irish Times / Ireland
The Indian rape case is another reminder that violence against women keeps on happening.
Commentators spoke with amazement about the level of violence and sexual harassment of
women in India, a country in which they are "revered". Many Indian gods are female. This is part of
the problem.
Every religion has saints and goddesses who contribute to cultural values that may protect women
who conform to what society expects of them, particularly sexually, and condone violence when
women do not measure up.
As no woman can ever be saintly or godlike, religious views of how women should be provide a
never-ending justification for abuse. Catholic women have the Virgin Mary to live up to.
The aim of religion is to frighten women about how men and society will punish them if they do not
conform to idealised behaviour.
The Women's Aid Annual Report 2012 notes that one in five women in Ireland experiences
violence and abuse from an intimate partner. Last year the organisation received 32 calls every
day from women living in fear, and almost 16,000 disclosures of abuse. Recently, a teenage girl
subjected to physical and verbal sexual harassment received the maximum award of two years'
salary from the Equality Tribunal.
Her supervisors told her: "You are only letting on to be a little Virgin Mary to your mammy. We
know what you really are." These attitudes and beliefs about women are only a step away from
sexual assault.
The Council of Europe has 47 member states and seeks to develop common legal principles
based on the European Convention on Human Rights. The Council of Europe convention on
preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (also known as the
Istanbul convention) opened for signature in May 2011 and, to date, 26 member states have
signed up and five states have ratified it.
The treaty will enter into force when it has been ratified by 10 countries.
Treaty on violence
The purpose of the convention is to protect women against all forms of violence and punish
offenders appropriately.
This international treaty defines gender for the first time and the way male and female roles are
decided by society, not biology.
"Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between women
and men which have led to domination over, and discrimination against, women by men."
When ratified, psychological violence will be criminalised, and sexual harassment will be subject to
criminal or other legal sanctions. Aiding and abetting abusers will be a criminal offence. Attempting
to commit the offences will be a criminal offence.
Aggravating circumstances, deserving a more severe punishment, will include being spouses,
partners and family members, and violence in the presence of children.
Ireland has not yet signed the Convention because, according to the Department of Justice and
93
Equality, "Article 52, which deals with emergency barring orders, presents a particular difficulty in
relation to property rights under the Irish constitution."
Constitution a barrier
While interim barring orders are available in "emergency" situations, such orders are limited in their
application to "persons with an equal or greater interest in the property".
Article 43.1.1 in the Constitution relates to the right to private property.
"The State acknowledges that man, in virtue of his rational being, has the natural right, antecedent
to positive law, to the private ownership of external goods."
In May, Minister of State Alex White said Ireland would sign the treaty only when the State is in a
position to ratify it. Just not now.
Once again it seems that the Constitution is a barrier to protecting people at the receiving end of
violence and abuse.
Twenty years ago the Kilkenny incest investigation found that "the very high emphasis on the rights
of the family may, consciously or unconsciously, be interpreted as giving a higher value to the
rights of parents than to the rights of children."
The 2013 Review of Practice and Audit of the Management of Cases of Neglect: Report on the
Findings of the Pilot Phase of the National Audit of Neglect showed that children's circumstances
did not improve because of a "cultural commitment to keeping families together at all costs".
Now women living in Ireland cannot be fully protected because of the constitutional right to private
property. What a country.
Women don't want to be worshipped or put on some pedestal. They just want to be treated like
human beings with the same rights as men.
It doesn't seem too much to ask.
Dr Jacky Jones is a former HSE regional manager of health promotion
94
Italy ratifies Istanbul Convention
11/09/2013 – Council of Europe
Several media (RAI, ANSA, AGI and Gazzetta del Sud) report from Strasbourg that Italian Deputy
Minister of Labour and Social Policies Maria-Cecilia Guerra has deposited the instruments of
ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against
Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
ANSA is quoting Ms Guerra as saying that the government strongly adheres to the principles of the
Istanbul Convention, but that the country’s fight against gender and domestic violence does not
stop with a mere ratification of a treaty.
She underlined that Italy had adopted its own law on the matter, but was also recognising that the
problem could not be efficiently dealt with by relying solely on legal and punitive measures.
The Government is focusing on prevention, she said, explaining that the authorities are trying to
offer a more efficient institutional response as well as to raise awareness in order to change public
attitudes to the problem.
It is also reported that during her visit to the Organisation, the Italian official also met Secretary
General Thorbjørn Jagland and Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini Dragoni.
95
Italy says it won't permit violence against women
11/09/2013 - Gazzetta del Sud / Italy
Govt warns that it expects long battle against 'femicide'
Italy expects a long battle against the abuse of women, but it has taken major first steps, a
government official said Tuesday. Since signing the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention
condemning violence against women, the Italian government has approved its own law to address
the phenomenon, said Cecilia Guerra, deputy minister for labour and social policies. "The
government's adherence to the principles of this (Istanbul) convention is very strong," said Guerra.
Italy also recognizes that laws and punishment are not enough, but must be reinforced with new
social behaviours, she added. Government policy includes a national action plan that will include
awareness campaigns for schools, health facilities as well as better coordination between social
agencies, she said. Italy has been plagued by a spate of violent crimes against women and
murders by partners, ex-boyfriends and husbands, as well as at the hands of strangers, say human
rights groups. "Sexual violence causes more fatalities among women in Italy than cancer and is
most often committed by a spouse or former partner," Maria Gabriella Carnieri Moscatelli,
president of the Italian emergency hotline Telefono Rosa, said in December. The Istanbul
Convention describes violence against women as a form of discrimination and as a violation of
human rights.
96
Femminicidio: Guerra, Italia decisa a combattere fenomeno
11/09/2013 - ANSA / Italy
Depositata ratifica Convenzione Istanbul, ora nuovi interventi
Sarà una battaglia lunga quella che l'Italia dovrà combattere contro il femminicidio e la violenza
sulle donne; anche se resta tanto da fare i primi passi sono stati compiuti: oggi il viceministro al
lavoro e alle politiche sociali Cecilia Guerra ha infatti depositato al Consiglio d'Europa la ratifica
della Convenzione di Istanbul. "L'adesione del governo ai principi di questa Convenzione è molto
forte" ha detto il viceministro, "tanto che l'8 agosto con l'approvazione di un decreto legge, che
attualmente ha iniziato il suo iter in parlamento, abbiamo già cominciato a inserire nel nostro
ordinamento alcune delle misure indicate dalla Convenzione". Tra queste una definizione di
violenza domestica che fa riferimento non solo alla violenza fisica in senso stretto ma anche a
quella economica, psicologica e sessuale. "E' un'innovazione significativa" afferma il viceministro
che cita tra le misure introdotte anche quella di specifiche aggravanti per reati già previsti se
vengono commessi nell'ambito delle relazioni sentimentali, e l'irrevocabilità della querela per il
reato di stalking. Guerra riconosce poi che il valore della Convenzione non sta nell'indicare solo
misure repressive, ma nel puntare l'attenzione anche verso l'importante aspetto della prevenzione.
E in questo caso le leggi non bastano. "La prevenzione non può essere fatta solo con nuove
norme, ed è per questo che il governo ha previsto nel suo decreto la predisposizione di un piano
nazionale straordinario contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne", ha detto. Il piano, che verrà
coordinato dal dipartimento delle pari opportunità, avrà come obiettivo quello di predisporre
campagne di sensibilizzazione dirette anche alla popolazione maschile, di introdurre nelle scuole
un'educazione alla vita relazionale, ma anche di creare un coordinamento tra forze dell'ordine,
presidi sanitari, servizi sociali, centri antiviolenza al fine di costruire un sistema che dia risposte
adeguate alle vittime e impedisca a chi ha commesso violenza di poterlo rifare. "Quello che
cercheremo di fare, ma è una battaglia di lungo periodo, è di mettere a sistema le tantissime buone
pratiche che già esistono ma che sinora sono limitate a singole realtà" sottolinea il viceministro,
aggiungendo che questo richiederà "risorse economiche, ma anche consapevolezza e uno sforzo
comune". Per ora, ammette Guerra, le risorse economiche non sono state ancora allocate ma "il
dipartimento delle pari opportunità punta a ottenerne per il sostegno della rete dei centri
antiviolenza dalla prossima legge di stabilità". "Quello sarà un banco di prova" conclude il
viceministro. Dal Consiglio d'Europa intanto arriva l'invito, rivolto dal vice segretario generale
Gabriella Battaini Dragoni, a fissare nel piano nazionale obiettivi precisi e date entro cui
raggiungerli. "Questa è una considerazione pratica che rivolgo non solo all'Italia ma a tutti i paesi
che hanno già ratificato o ratificheranno la Convenzione di Istanbul" ha sottolineato Gabriella
Battaini Dragoni.
97
Violenza su donne : Italia ratifica convenzione Istanbul
11/09/2013 - AGI / Italy
L'Italia ha formalmente ratificato a Strasburgo la convenzione di Istanbul contro la violenza
domestica e quella sulle donne. Il viceministro alle Politiche sociali con delega alle Pari
opportunita', Maria Cecilia Guerra, e' stata ricevuta dal segretario generale del Consiglio d'Europa
Thorbjorn Jagland e dalla vice Gabriella Battaini Dragoni.
L'Italia e' il quinto paese a ratificare la convenzione di Istanbul, e con il decreto legge che combatte
la violenza sulle donne (e il cosiddetto 'femminicidio') ha voluto "non solo un intervento normativo
ma anche favorire una presa di coscienza di un fenomeno che in Italia ha dimensioni
preoccupanti", attraverso un piano straordinario di sensibilizzazione della cittadinanza su questi
temi
98
Intanto l’Italia ratifica formalmente convenzione di Istanbul
11/09/2013 - RAI Giornale / Italy
Decreto sul femminicidio va "profondamente ripensato".
È quanto sostenuto dall'Unione Camere Penali di fronte alle Commissioni riunite Affari
Costituzionali e Giustizia. Le critiche riguardano, in particolare, l'irrevocabilità della querela e la
delazione anonima previste nel provvedimento approvato lo scorso 7 agosto. Dubbi sono stati
espressi anche dalle associazioni a tutela delle donne e dall'Associazione Nazionale Magistrati,
che rileva la "mancata coerenza del decreto con l'intero sistema di diritto" . .
Il presidente dell'Ucpi Valerio Spigarelli e l'avvocato Matteo Pinna del Centro Studi Aldo Marongiu,
hanno sviscerato le critiche al decreto attraverso l'elaborato presentato alle Commissioni, in cui
vengono proposti emendamenti soppressivi di alcune norme.
Spigarelli, ricordando l'immediata presa di posizione dei penalisti contro il decreto, "non per
disconoscere o minimizzare il fenomeno della violenza", ha sottolineato come il provvedimento
rientra in quella "decretazione d'urgenza che in campo penale produce una legislazione simbolica
e asistematica", e che "non è il modo più giusto per intervenire sulla materia". Nel dettaglio,
sull'irrevocabilità della querela, il leader dei penalisti ha spiegato che la norma "produrrà
paradossalmente effetti antitetici rispetto alle intenzioni del legislatore", in una "via senza ritorno".
Preoccupazioni, per l'Ucpi, sulle norme che portano a una "deprivazione del contraddittorio e al
mancato irrobustimento della verità nel processo", e a quelle che ampliano i poteri della polizia
giudiziaria, come la possibilità di disporre l'allontanamento di chi sia colto in flagranza di reato:
"Evento che dovrebbe essere residuale", ha aggiunto Spigarelli, che ha parlato di previsioni
"stravaganti".
"Un sistema penale avanzato rigetta l'idea della denuncia anonima - hanno proseguito i penalisti -;
e invece con questo passaggio si assiste a un arretramento fondamentale della civiltà giuridica del
nostro Paese, che contrasta con le più elementari esigenze difensive"; e poi il passaggio sulla
"flagranza differita", in "contrasto con la Costituzione, in una reiterata affermazione di strappo alla
legalità". Infine i penalisti hanno ribadito la loro "avversione" nei confronti della "norma che impone,
pena l'inammissibilità, la notifica delle richieste di mutamento rispetto ad alcune misure cautelari,
così come l'introduzione di un doppio binario processuale per alcuni reati, ed ancora, la normativa
asistematica e scoordinata in tema di aggravanti al reato di furto e rapina". Per questo "non si può
continuare a intervenire attraverso una legislazione simbolica reattiva propagandistica - ha
concluso Spigarelli - destinata a produrre frutti avvelenati".
Intanto, l'Italia ha formalmente ratificato a Strasburgo la convenzione di Istanbul contro la violenza
domestica e quella sulle donne. Il viceministro alle Politiche sociali con delega alle Pari
opportunità, Maria Cecilia Guerra, è stata ricevuta dal segretario generale del Consiglio d'Europa
Thorbjorn Jagland e dalla vice Gabriella Battaini Dragoni. L'Italia è il quinto Paese a ratificare la
convenzione di Istanbul, e con il decreto legge che combatte la violenza sulle donne (e il
cosiddetto 'femminicidio') ha voluto "non solo un intervento normativo ma anche favorire una presa
di coscienza di un fenomeno che in Italia ha dimensioni preoccupanti", attraverso un piano
straordinario di sensibilizzazione della cittadinanza su questi temi.
99
Immigrants silent on abuse for fear of deportation
11/08/2013 - The Irish Examiner / Ireland
Immigrants living here are not reporting incidents of domestic violence out of fear that it will impact
on their ability to stay in the country, the Immigrant Council of Ireland has said.
ICI wants new immigration legislation to include provisions which specifically refer to domestic
violence situations. It has also highlighted shortfalls in the provision of emergency accommodation
and welfare support to victims.
In a submission to the Oireachtas Justice Committee, ICI and eight other groups which make up
the Domestic Violence Coalition said it is seeking action in four areas:
- Formal recognition of domestic violence in immigration law.
- Reform of administrative practices.
- The provision of safe emergency accommodation, as well as welfare benefits.
- The Government to sign and ratify the Council Of Europe Convention on Combating and
Preventing Violence against Women and Domestic Violence as a matter of urgency.
ICI’s information and referral service manager Brian Killoran said: "It is clear, while a positive step
was taken by the Irish immigration authorities to publish information in 2012 that outlines their
approach to situations of this nature, the problem persists that there are people in this country who
feel trapped in violent relationships because of fears their status in Ireland is dependent on their
spouse."
He said ICI welcomed the willingness of the Oireachtas Committee to examine the issue and said it
was asking members to ensure that the committee’s consideration was conducted as soon as
possible in order to offer hope to victims.
ICI gave the example of Liwei, a Chinese national, who arrived in Ireland in 2011 having lived with
her Irish husband in Hong Kong for 10 years.
"Prior to their return to Ireland, her husband had become increasingly violent towards her and was
controlling her finances and who she interacted with," ICI said. "Liwei thought moving back to
Ireland would help their relationship as being near his family may force him to change his
behaviour. When they arrived in Ireland, the opposite happened and her husband’s behaviour
towards her deteriorated further.
"Liwei sought the protection of a refuge in 2012 and took out a protection order and barring order
against her husband. As her husband had controlled her access to finances and her interaction
with immigration authorities, she had no finances available to her and her immigration status in
Ireland had expired.
"Liwei spent three months attempting to remedy her situation, on the one hand corresponding with
the immigration authorities regarding her legal status in Ireland, and on the other attempting, to no
avail, to receive the minimum financial assistance available to contribute to her stay in the women’s
refuge. Only with the intervention of the ICI did her community welfare officer agree to pay Liwei
emergency payments while her immigration difficulties were being remedied."
100
Italia Ratificare la Convenzione di Istanbul
21/06/2013 - SIR / Italia
ITALIA: OGGI È IL QUINTO PAESE CDE A RATIFICARE LA CONVENZIONE DI ISTANBUL
“La ratifica del Senato della Convenzione di Istanbul è un atto di primaria importanza per il
Consiglio d’Europa, data la sensibilità dell’argomento e la tremenda attualità degli episodi di
violenza sulle donne in Italia”, ha dichiarato oggi a Strasburgo la vice segretario generale del
Consiglio d’Europa, Gabriella Battaini Dragoni. Questo pomeriggio a Roma l’Assemblea di Palazzo
Madama ha infatti votato all’unanimità il disegno di legge di ratifica ed esecuzione della
Convenzione del CdE sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la
violenza domestica, già avallato dalla Camera. All’inizio di luglio il ministro delle Pari opportunità,
Josefa Idem, sarà a Strasburgo per la cerimonia ufficiale di ratifica. L’Italia è il quinto Paese del
Consiglio d’Europa a ratificare la Convenzione, firmata a Strasburgo il 27 settembre 2012
dall’allora ministro con delega alle Pari opportunità, Elsa Fornero. Albania, Montenegro, Portogallo
e Turchia hanno già proceduto alla ratifica, mentre sono 30 i Paesi che hanno sottoscritto questo
trattato internazionale che ha l’obiettivo di tolleranza zero verso questo genere di violazione dei
diritti umani. Prevenire la violenza, proteggere le vittime e perseguire penalmente gli aggressori
sono i cardini della Convenzione.
101
Violenza donne
21/06/2013 - ANSA - Health Service / Italia
VIOLENZA SU 1/3 DONNE DEL MONDO,30%OMICIDI PER MANO DI LUI.
PER OMS 'EPIDEMIA MONDIALE'; CHIESTE MISURE, DATI SOTTOSTIMATI
La violenza fisica o sessuale colpisce piu' di un terzo delle donne nel mondo (35%) e la violenza
domestica inflitta dal partner e' la forma piu' comune, tanto che quando una donna viene uccisa,
una volta su tre e' lui il responsabile, ha denunciato oggi a Ginevra l'Organizzazione mondiale della
sanita' (Oms).
''Il messaggio e' forte: la violenza contro le donne e' un problema mondiale di salute pubblica di
proporzioni epidemiche'', ha commentato Margaret Chan, Direttore generale dell'Oms. Tanto che
oramai a ogni livello si invocano misure di prevenzione, a partire dalle scuole, e una specifica
formazione del personale sanitario.
Il rapporto e' il ''primo studio sistematico'' mai condotto con dati globali sulla prevalenza della
violenza contro le donne da parte del loro partner o della violenza sessuale inflitta da altri e rivela
''una statistica scioccante'', ha affermato Flavia Bustreo, vice Direttore generale dell'Oms per la
salute della famiglia, delle donne e dei bambini direttore generale. ''Tutte le fasce di eta' sono
colpite'', ''in tutte le regioni e per tutte le classi sociali'', ha detto Bustreo in una conferenza stampa.
Il rapporto stima il tasso di prevalenza in Africa e' del 45,6%, nelle Americhe del 36,1% , per il
Mediterraneo orientale, il 36,4% , in Europa (Russia e Asia centrela incluse) del 27,2%, nel Sud
est-est asiatico del 40,2%, nel Pacifico Occidentale del 27,9%. Nei Paesi ad alto reddito e' pari al
32,7%. Lo studio mostra inoltre che, a livello mondiale, il 38% delle donne uccise lo sono state dai
loro partner intimi e che il 42% delle donne che ha subito violenza fisica o sessuale ha subito ferite.
Per le donne vittime di violenza da parte del proprio partner, la probabilita' di depressione e' quasi
due volte piu' alta rispetto a chi non ne ha subite, cosi' come quella di avere problemi di consumo
d'alcol. Salgono anche i rischi contrarre malattie sessualmente trasmissibli, di aborto e di aver un
bambino con un basso peso alla nascita.
E' particolarmente importante, per l'Oms, ''che il personale sanitario sia sensibilizzato e formato
per far fronte a pazienti vittime di violenza. Altrettanto fondamentale e' la prevenzione e
l'educazione dei bambini e dei giovani''. Bustreo si e' quindi felicitata con l'Italia per la ratifica della
Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa di Istanbul per la lotta alla violenza contro le donne. ''Ci
auspichiamo che altri Paesi del Consiglio Europeo la ratifichino presto'', ha detto sottolineando il
ruolo di leadeship svolto dalla presidente della Camera Boldrini e del Ministro degli esteri Bonino.
I dati sono stati anche pubblicati anche sulle riviste Science e The Lancet. Nella prima si mette in
evidenza come la violenza sulle donne tra e pareti domestiche fisica, sessuale o psicologica,
chiamata Intimate Partner Violance (Ipv), puo' avere implicazioni anche politiche. Si chiede infatti
ai governi di tutto il mondo una maggiore attenzione a questo fenomeno che e' sempre esistito ma
che non si riesce ancora ad estirpare. Per gli autori si tratta di stime prudenti in quanto la vera
entita' del problema e' ostacolata dalla mancanza di segnalazioni esatte. In molti omicidi non viene
individuato l'assassino come il partner della vittima e questo secondo gli studiosi, rappresenta
almeno un quinto di tutti i casi elaborati.
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ITALY Protection for women
21/06/2013 - The Advertiser / Australia
ITALY has ratified a treaty to fight violence against women in a bid to redress an escalating trend
of crimes that have included a spate of acid attacks against female victims.
The 2011 Istanbul Convention aims to ``prevent violence, protect victims and punish the guilty'',
Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said.
The treaty has been signed by 25 Council of Europe member states but has so far only been
ratified by Turkey, Albania, Portugal, Montenegro and Italy.
103
Italia Ratificare la Convenzione di Istanbul
21/06/2013 - SIR / Italia
ITALIA: OGGI È IL QUINTO PAESE CDE A RATIFICARE LA CONVENZIONE DI ISTANBUL
“La ratifica del Senato della Convenzione di Istanbul è un atto di primaria importanza per il
Consiglio d’Europa, data la sensibilità dell’argomento e la tremenda attualità degli episodi di
violenza sulle donne in Italia”, ha dichiarato oggi a Strasburgo la vice segretario generale del
Consiglio d’Europa, Gabriella Battaini Dragoni. Questo pomeriggio a Roma l’Assemblea di Palazzo
Madama ha infatti votato all’unanimità il disegno di legge di ratifica ed esecuzione della
Convenzione del CdE sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la
violenza domestica, già avallato dalla Camera. All’inizio di luglio il ministro delle Pari opportunità,
Josefa Idem, sarà a Strasburgo per la cerimonia ufficiale di ratifica. L’Italia è il quinto Paese del
Consiglio d’Europa a ratificare la Convenzione, firmata a Strasburgo il 27 settembre 2012
dall’allora ministro con delega alle Pari opportunità, Elsa Fornero. Albania, Montenegro, Portogallo
e Turchia hanno già proceduto alla ratifica, mentre sono 30 i Paesi che hanno sottoscritto questo
trattato internazionale che ha l’obiettivo di tolleranza zero verso questo genere di violazione dei
diritti umani. Prevenire la violenza, proteggere le vittime e perseguire penalmente gli aggressori
sono i cardini della Convenzione.
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Deputy Secretary General welcomes Italian ratification of Istanbul
Convention
20/06/2012 – Council of Europe
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni
Italian Senate ratification of the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women
and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), is an act of primary importance for the Council of
Europe, given the sensitivity of the topic and the recent atrocious episodes of violence against
women in Italy," said in Strasbourg Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini Dragoni. The bill
ratifying and implementing this Council of Europe Convention, already approved by the Chamber
of Deputies, was voted yesterday unanimously.
"I have closely followed the legislative process at Palazzo Madama, and I welcome the fact that
Italy approved a text so relevant to the European and international case law. I also would like to
thank the Italian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly for its support for this initiative. We look
forward to the visit of the Minister for Equal Opportunities, Josefa Idem, at the beginning of July in
Strasbourg, for the official ceremony of ratification and for a broad discussion of those issues that
have seen Italy at the forefront internationally," underlined Gabriella Battaini Dragoni.
Italy is the fifth country in the Council of Europe to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The legal text
was signed in Strasbourg on 27th September 2012 by the former Italian Minister for Equal
Opportunities, Elsa Fornero. Albania, Montenegro, Portugal and Turkey have ratified the
International Convention already signed by 30 countries.
This far reaching international treaty aims at achieving the goal of zero tolerance for this kind of
human rights violation and constitutes a significant step forward for further awareness against this
kind of crime. Preventing violence, protecting its victims and prosecuting the perpetrators are the
cornerstones of the Convention.
105
Italy ratifies Istanbul Convention
20/06/2012 – Council of Europe
By a unanimous vote in its upper house, the Senate, Italy’s Parliament yesterday completed the
ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against
Women and Domestic Violence, the Italian and international media report from Rome (AFP,
Reuters, SBS, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, ANSA, Il Sole 24 Ore, Il Giornale, Il Fatto
Quotidiano, Avanti, TM News, AGI, ASCA, AgenParl, etc.).
The Istanbul Convention aims to “prevent violence, protect victims and punish the guilty,” the
articles quote Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino as welcoming the ratification.
The media recall that before the Convention could enter into force, it needs to be ratified by 10
countries – eight of which need to be members of the Council of Europe – but that so far only five
states have ratified the treaty.
Speaking about this, FM Bonino said that she would “continue an awareness campaign to
encourage our partners to ratify the convention as quickly as possible, so that it can enter into
force.”
Reacting to the news, Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni hailed the decision of
the Italian senate, adding that the Council of Europe attaches great importance to the ratification,
given the seriousness of this particular problem in Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
The DSG said she was looking forward to the official ratification ceremony in Strasbourg in early
July as well as to an in-depth discussion with Equal Opportunities Minister Josefa Idem on the
issues that have put Italy at the forefront of international efforts to combat violence against women.
Writing about the growing problem of gender violence, the Italian newspapers cite disappointing
statistics and remind their readers of several high-profile violent crimes against women that have
shaken the country, in particular of a brutal murder of a 16-year-old, Fabiana Luzzi, who was
stabbed and then set on fire by her boyfriend in the town of Corigliano Calabro.
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Italy ratifies treaty combating violence against women
19/06/2013, 23:45 CET – EUBusiness.com
(ROME) - Italy ratified a treaty combating violence against women on Wednesday in a bid to
redress an escalating trend of attacks including a spate of acid crimes against female victims.
The 2011 Istanbul Convention aims to "prevent violence, protect victims and punish the guilty,"
Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said.
The treaty has been signed by 25 Council of Europe member states but has so far only been
ratified by Turkey, Albania, Portugal, Montenegro and now Italy. It needs to be ratified by 10
countries -- eight of which need to be members of the Council of Europe -- for it to take effect.
Bonino said she would "continue an awareness campaign to encourage our partners to ratify the
convention as quickly as possible so that it can enter into force."
The convention, which had already been approved by Italy's lower house of parliament, was
adopted unanimously by the Senate Wednesday.
Its measures to improve prevention and protection include "granting police power to remove
perpetrators from the home" and improving resources such as "shelters, telephone hotlines,
specialist support services, crisis centres, and legal assistance."
In 2012, some 120 women were murdered in so-called femicide attacks in Italy, and a third of all
women here are victims at some point of domestic violence according to a United Nations report,
which cites data from the national statistics agency (ISTAT).
There have been dozens of cases reported of women killed by their husbands, boyfriends or
former partners this year, as well as a spate of acid attacks which have stunned the European
country.
In May, Italy's speaker of the lower house of parliament Laura Boldrini called for a law to defend
Italian women from misogynist and violent acts after receiving hundreds of menacing messages on
the Internet, including photos altered to show her head on the bodies of women being raped or
strangled.
She was defended by Italy's new equal opportunities minister, German-born Josefa Idem, who said
that the "men, vile and without dignity, who consider it normal to insult and threaten a woman... are
a sign of a subculture that must be uprooted in this country."
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FEMMINICIDIO - Convenzione di Istanbul, via libera anche al Senato per la ratifica
del trattato
19/06/2013 - Corriere della Sera / Italy
L'approvazione all'unanimità. Ma perché il trattato diventi realtà è necessaria la ratifica di altri 5
Stati
FEMMINICIDIO
Convenzione di Istanbul, via libera anche al Senato per la ratifica del trattato
L'approvazione all'unanimità. Ma perché il trattato diventi realtà è necessaria la ratifica di altri 5
Stati
La Convenzione di Istanbul è legge. Il Senato ha approvato all'unanimità e in via definitiva la
ratifica della convenzione di Istanbul sulla prevenzione della violenza sulle donne e contro la
violenza domestica. Prima della votazione, l'aula ha osservato un minuto di raccoglimento per
ricordare, ha detto la vice presidente di palazzo Madama Linda Lanzillotta, «tutte le donne,
ragazze, bambine che hanno subito violenza fisica e psicologica».
81 PUNTI - Il passaggio arriva dopo l'approvazione alla Camera, avvenuta sempre all'unanimità. Il
documento punta molto su prevenzione e formazione, linee guida per arginare la strage delle
donne. Per queste ultime, la convenzione riconosce il soccorso immediato. E se la mano armata
dalla violenza è quella di un genitore, il provvedimento tutela il minore stabilendo la possibilità di
incontri futuri solo dopo un’attenta valutazione di rischi. Uno dei primi passi fondamentali resta il
riconoscimento della violenza maschile sul corpo e sulla psiche delle donne, avviando così un
percorso di prevenzione per contrastarla. Un modo questo per archiviare una mentalità che ha
reso il femminicidio un tabù per troppi anni. Ed è qui che si inserisce il ruolo fondamentale di
scuole ed università che, attraverso l’introduzione di vere e proprie discipline, possono veicolare
messaggi volti ad educare e sensibilizzare al tema. Tra gli 81 punti si pone particolare attenzione
anche all’uso che i mezzi di comunicazione fanno del corpo femminile anche solo per pubblicizzare
prodotti. La Convenzione impone agli Stati aderenti di punire, con conseguente risarcimento dei
danni, una serie di comportamenti di violenza nei confronti delle donne. Ne fanno parte lo stalking,
la violenza fisica, lo stupro, il matrimonio forzato, le mutilazioni genitali, l’aborto o la sterilizzazione
forzati e le molestie sessuali.
LE ALTRE RATIFICHE - Perché la Convenzione diventi realtà e sia vincolante per gli Stati firmatari
mancano le ratifiche di almeno altri cinque Stati (ne servono dieci di cui almeno otto membri del
Consiglio d’Europa) affinché la carta dei diritti delle donne non resti, appunto, solo carta. È infatti
necessario che i ventinove Stati firmatari accelerino le pratiche di ratifica che ad oggi riguarda solo
Albania, Montenegro, Portogallo e Turchia, sebbene la violenza sulle donne sia un fenomeno che
investe tutta l’Europa, da Nord a Sud. Ma non solo. Perché la Convenzione abbia un impatto sulla
vita di tutti i giorni dei cittadini dovrà essere varata una legge di attuazione che abbia la copertura
finanziaria necessaria per permettere la realizzazione dei concreti interventi di sostegno. Il tutto
mentre rimane difficile raccogliere dati sul femminicidio; l’ultimo rapporto che ha tentato di fare una
fotografia d’insieme risale al 2010 e segue di dieci anni quello precedente. I risultati non sono
confortanti: secondo il Consiglio d’Europa il 25% delle donne in Europa, cioè una su quattro, a un
certo punto della propria vita ha subito violenza domestica
LA TASK FORCE - Nel frattempo nella giornata di martedì sono partiti i lavori della task forse
interministeriale contro la violenza sulle donne, annunciata dalla ministra Josefa Idem appena
dopo la sua nomina. Il dipartimento per le Pari opportunità, già dalla prossima settimana, «istituirà
tre gruppi di lavoro con esperti che si concentreranno su tre primi obiettivi. Un gruppo di 'alto livello
dovrà disegnare l'Osservatorio sulla violenza di genere, visto come sistema integrato di tutte le
informazioni statistiche necessarie al monitoraggio del fenomeno, individuando i gap informativi
esistenti e le azioni da mettere in atto. Il gruppo di alto livello sarà coordinato da Linda Laura
Sabbadini, capo dipartimento delle Statistiche sociali e ambientali dell'Istat, e membro del gruppo
Onu che si è occupato di dare le linee guida per gli indicatori sulla violenza contro le donne a livello
mondiale». Marta Serafini
108
Vers une meilleure protection des victimes de violence
16/06/2013 – Najat-vallaud-belkacem.com (France)
Ce mercredi 15 mai, la ministre de la Justice et la ministre des Droits des femmes ont présenté à
l’Assemblée nationale un projet de loi adaptant la législation pénale française à plusieurs textes
internationaux. Les députés ont ainsi adopté de nombreuses mesures renforçant la protection des
victimes.
En écho à la progression du droit international en matière de protection des victimes, Christiane
Taubira, ministre de la Justice, et Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, ministre des Droits des femmes, ont
présenté à l’Assemblée nationale un projet de loi « portant diverses dispositions d’adaptation dans
le domaine de la justice en application du droit de l’Union européenne et des engagements
internationaux de la France ». Ce texte adapte en particulier notre droit à la convention d’Istanbul
contre les violences faites aux femmes, du Conseil de l’Europe, qui marque une étape importante
dans l’histoire des droits des femmes. D’apparence technique, ce projet de loi fait progresser
concrètement la réponse que les pouvoirs publics apportent aux victimes dans de nombreux
domaines :
1. Il renforce la lutte contre la traite des êtres humains dans toutes ses dimensions, en élargissant
sa définition et en proposant plusieurs conditions alternatives constitutives de l’infraction ;
2. Le prélèvement d’organe, l’esclavage ou le travail forcé seront désormais visés par la lutte
contre la traite des êtres humains ;
3. Le renforcement de la coopération judiciaire avec Eurojust permettra de mieux lutter contre la
criminalité transfrontalière, notamment celle de la traite et des réseaux ;
4. Les justiciables bénéficieront désormais d’une procédure judiciaire compréhensible de leur
langue, grâce à de nouvelles obligations de traduction des pièces ;
5. La lutte contre les agressions sexuelles sur mineurs, y compris les simples tentatives, sera
renforcée et les peines encourues seront alourdies ;
6. La lutte contre la pédopornographie sera également renforcée ; les faits seront mieux
sanctionnés, même sans intention de diffuser les images ;
7. Les parents qui trompent leur fille pour l’emmener à l’étranger et lui faire subir un mariage forcé
seront punis ;
8. La tentative d’avortement forcé sera désormais pénalisée ;
9. Les adultes qui incitent les filles à subir une excision, ou qui incitent leurs familles à leur faire
subir une excision, s’exposeront à des sanctions ;
10. Les victimes de violences qui sont en danger parce que le coupable s’est évadé seront
désormais informées de cette évasion.
Le Gouvernement prolonge ces nouvelles mesures en renforçant les dispositifs de protection des
victimes de violences. La nouvelle mission interministérielle pour la protection des femmes contre
les violences et la lutte contre la traite des êtres humains, placée auprès de la ministre des droits
des femmes en janvier, s’y consacrera pleinement. La création de cette mission interministérielle,
équipe d’experts de haut niveau issus des différentes administrations concernées, marque à cet
égard un changement de rythme et de méthode.
109
Elle est en particulier chargée d’élaborer pour le mois d’octobre prochain un plan gouvernemental
de lutte contre la traite des êtres humains, en écho aux recommandations du GRETA.
110
Violenza donne: Cons. Europa, auspichiamo ratifica Senato in 2 giorni
12/06/2013 - ASCA / Italia
Il Consiglio d'Europa (CoE) auspica che ''entro i prossimi due giorni'' il Senato dia via libera alla
ratifica della Convenzione di Istanbul per il contrasto alla violenza sulle donne, la quale potrebbe
entrare in vigore ''gia' entro la fine di quest'anno''.
Lo ha detto il vice segretario generale dell'Organizzazione internazionale, Gabriella Battaini,
conversando con i giornalisti prima di concludere la sua visita a Roma.
Dopo la recente approvazione all'unanimita' da parte della Camera, infatti ''abbiamo avuto
conferma del fatto che l'agenda politica del Senato prevede tale punto e mi auspico che nelle
prossime due giornate possa ratificare all'unanimita' questo testo fondamentale non solo per la
protezione delle donne, ma anche in termini di civilta' poiche' riguarda come le nostre societa'
trattano la meta', anzi un po' di piu', della loro popolazione'', ha affermato Battaini.
L'alto esponente del CoE - Organizzazione internazionale in prima linea nella difesa dei Diritti
umani che comprende Turchia, Albania, Montenegro e Portogallo ''come Italia saremo il quinto
paese a ratificare la convenzione e, in particolare, il primo grande paese europeo nel gruppo che
include anche Francia, Germania, Regno Unito e Russia. Una circostanza quest'ultima - ha
sottolineato l'alto funzionario CoE - che anche in quanto italiana e' motivo di grande
soddisfazione''.
Confidando nell'imminente luce verde da parte del Senato, Battaini ha riferito di aver ''incontrato il
ministro per le Pari opportunita', Josefa Idem, e l'ho gia' invitata a Strasburgo per la firma finale
dell'atto di ratifica''.
Il vice segretario generale del CoE ha definito ''terribile e sconvolgente'' l'aumento statistico dei
casi di omicidi di donne registrato in Italia, ma sottolineato come ''il fenomeno non e' solo italiano,
si pensi all'India o al Pakistan, ma anche alla stessa Francia dove dall'inizio dell'anno sono gia'
numerosissimi gli episodi di violenza, anche mortale, sulle donne''.
In tale quadro Battaini ha indicato che Parigi ''e' molto avanzata nella fase finale dei lavori ed
esiste la possibilita' tecnica che ratifichi la Convenzione prima dell'estate''.
La configurazione federale di altri Paesi, come la Germania, implica ragioni tecnico giuridiche di
allungamento dei tempi di ratifica ''da non interpretare assolutamente come mancanza di
consapevolezza o negligenza nei confronti dell'emergenza'', ha precisato Battaini.
L'esponente del CoE non esclude, pertanto, ''di avere le dieci ratifiche necessarie all'entrata in
vigore della Convenzione gia' entro la fine dell'anno''. stt/gc
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Violenza donne: Cons. Europa, Convenzione Istanbul non restera' su
carta
12/06/2013 - ASCA / Italia
Ottenuta luce verde dalla Camera e in corso di ratifica al Senato, la Convenzione di Istanbul sul
contrasto alla violenza sulle donne ''non viene adottata alla cieca'' relativamente ai costi che
comporta e ''non restera' solo un testo'' grazie alla presenza di molte donne nelle istituzioni
italiane.
Lo ha affermato Gabriela Battaini, vice segretario del Consiglio d'Europa, conversando con i
giornalisti a conclusione di una sua visita a Roma.
''La convenzione non viene adottata alla cieca e gia' l'ex ministro Fornero, che la firmo' lo scorso
settembre, aveva avviato uno studio di fattibilita' sui costi che viene poi vagliato in sede di esamina
da parte delle commissioni pertinenti dei due rami del Parlamento'', ha illustrato l'alto
rappresentante dell'Organizzazione internazionale che comprende 47 Paesi membri.
''Ogni volta che un paese decide di ratificare una convenzione - ha aggiunto Battaini - si impegna
ad intraprendere una serie di misure e iniziative'' e dopo la ratifica ''e' previsto un certo margine''
affinche' i Paesi si allineino agli obblighi contratti.
In tale quadro ''mi sento molto confortata dal fatto che ci sono alcune donne in posizioni chiave
delle istituzioni italiane impegnate a far si' che la Convenzione non resti solo un testo ratificato, ma
venga concretamente applicato'' ha detto il vice segretario generale del Coe, citando Boldrini,
Bonino, Cancellieri e Idem, oltre ad altre deputate e senatrici. stt/mpd
112
Femminicidio : Battaini, spero OK senato convenzione Istanbul
11/06/2013 - ANSA / Italia
VICE SEGRETARIO CONSIGLIO EUROPA, SCONVOLTA DA AUMENTO VIOLENZE
''Auspico che anche il Senato possa adottare all'unanimita', come ha fatto la Camera, questo testo
di civilta'''. E' quanto ha sottolineato, incontrando i giornalisti a Roma alla vigilia dell'approdo a
Palazzo Madama della Convenzione di Istanbul sulla prevenzione e la lotta alla violenza sulle
donne, il vice segretario generale del Consiglio d'Europa Gabriella Battaini Dragoni.
Con l'approvazione del Senato, infatti, l'Italia sarebbe il 5/o Paese - dopo Turchia, Montenegro
Albania e Portogallo - ''e il primo tra i grandi Paesi membri'' a ratificare la Convenzione del
Consiglio d'Europa, ha affermato Battaini sottolineando come ''cio' sarebbe motivo di grande
soddisfazione''. Il problema della violenza delle donne non e' solo italiano e esistono ''situazioni
insostenibili'' anche in altri Paesi, ha aggiunto il vice segretario dicendosi tuttavia ''sconvolta
dall'incremento statistico dei casi di femminicidio in Italia''.
La Convezione - ha spiegato - ha un approccio ''globale'' che comporta la prevenzione della
violenza, la protezione delle vittime e misure di carattere penale per condannare i colpevoli con un
''rifiuto assoluto'' per qualsiasi forma di accomodamento o accordo tra le parti. Il testo entrera' in
vigore con il raggiungimento delle 10 ratifiche, da formalizzare a Strasburgo dai ministri
competenti. La ratifica segnala ''l'impegno del Paese ad avviare un centro numero di lavori'' che
hanno anche un costo, ha sottolineato Battaini spiegando come il Consiglio d'Europa abbia
previsto ''un certo margine'' per l'applicazione della Convenzione. E, citando il presidente della
Camera Boldrini e il ministro per le Pari Opportunita' e lo Sport Josefa Idem Battaini si e' detta
''confortata dalla presenza in alcune strutture chiave di donne impegnate affinche' il testo non sia
solo ratificato ma anche applicato''.
113
Lithuanian formin signs Council of Europe's convention on violence
against women (updates)
08/06/2013 - Baltic Daily - Political/Social News/ ESTONIA
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has signed the Council of Europe's Convention on
Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the
Istanbul Convention, which has drawn controversial reactions in the Baltic states.
"I just signed the Istanbul Convention on behalf of the state, which is aimed at preventing violence
against women. I believe it is a very important document," Linkevicius said at a news conference
on Friday.
He noted that the convention has raised "certain issues among members of the public" and was
signed with "a certain comment," which suggests that Lithuania will follow the principles and
standards enshrined in the Constitution.
"Before signing (the convention – BNS), I handed in a note to the secretary general, in which I said
that the Republic of Lithuania states that it will apply the convention provisions by following
principles and norms enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania. In other words,
those norms and principles which are in the Constitutions, we don't have plans to change them.
And if somebody has questions about the change of the family concept or other things, I think, this
statement answers all questions," the minister said.
Asked about the prospects of ratification of the convention in the Seimas, Linkevicius said: "I would
evaluate them positively."
"I hope we'll manage (to convince Seimas members to back it – BNS) as I don't see any reason for
it not to happen," Linkevicius said, noting that the convention has been signed by such countries
as Poland and Italy which "also have similar sensitive issues."
Asked what the social gender concept, used in the convention, means, Thorbjorn Jagland,
secretary general of the Council of Europe, who also attended the press conference, said: "It
represents the reality in society."
"You can go in the street and you will find different kinds of people. That's the reality which we are
facing in Europe today. We have all decided that now it has become clear for all of us and we
recognize it. We cannot look away from what is a fact," the secretary general said.
One of the provisions of the convention states that "the implementation of the provisions of this
Convention by the Parties, in particular measures to protect the rights of victims, shall be secured
without discrimination on any ground such as sex, gender, race, colour, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth,
sexual orientation, gender identity, age, state of health, disability, marital status, migrant or refugee
status, or other status."
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says Lithuanian needs to take on international
commitment to fighting violence.
"Violence is not to be tolerated in any environment and under any circumstances. Lithuania has to
take on international commitments to fight violence," the president told BNS through her Press
Service.
114
One of representatives of the ruling coalition, Minister of Environment Valentinas Mazuronis told
BNS on Thursday he is against the signature of the convention.
"The gender issue, when we talk about five possible genders, is unacceptable for me. I was raised
that way and know two genders. I had a mother, had a father, I have a sister, people have
brothers. I don't know five gender and don't think it's the right attitude. Some social genders, it
seems to me that renaming, reforming some things produced by the nature is unnecessary,"
Mazuronis told BNS.
The Lithuanian Bishops' Conference earlier called on Lithuanian leaders against signing and
ratifying the convention which, in their opinion, the attitude to gender does not match of the human
being's biological nature.
"Preventing violence against women and other persons is a noble and supportable goal.
Unfortunately, by declaring legitimate objectives, the convention is based on an ideologized
attitude to gender as a social construct, which is against the human being's biological nature. By
signing and ratifying the convention, Lithuania would be forced to transpose this gender concept
into our legal system," the clergy say.
Moreover, they are concerned about the document's provisions committing the signatory countries
to update education programs of all levels of formal education with information on nonstereotypical gender roles.
"The latter, among other things, might also mean homosexuality and transsexuality. The attempt to
link the noble goal of preventing violence with the introduction of provisions that are foreign to both
the Lithuanian education system and also moral values of the majority of parents is raising
legitimate concern," the letter reads.
Various public organizations have also expressed concern over that.
In March, Lithuanian MP Marija Ausrine Pavilioniene turned to President Dalia Grybauskaite asking
her to take initiative for Lithuanian to sign and ratify the convention. The MP then said she later
received an answer from the Presidential Office, saying that the head of state supports the
ratification of the convention and pledged to demand for the signature of the document not to take
too long.
The Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was
adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on May 11, 2011 in Istanbul. 25
countries have signed the convention and three have ratified it
115
Gender Violence: Italy ratifies Istanbul Convention
05/06/2013 - ANSAMED / Italy
The Council of Europe Convention on Violence Against Women now on the floor of the Italian
Senate is advancing through parliamentary debates at a snail's pace, and this is due in part to
cultural factors, according to European Parliament Vice President Roberta Angelilli. ''There has
been a particularly odious delay, and this probably depends not just on juridical and legislative
issues, but mostly on a kind of cultural reticence'', Angelilli told ANSA in an interview. .
Also known as the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe treaty against gender and domestic
violence dates back to 2011, and has since been ratified by just four member nations: Albania,
Montenegro, Portugal, and Turkey.
But it needs ratification by at least 10 states, with eight of these sitting on the Council of Europe, to
become operative: at the current rate, it will take another two years for European women to get
equal protection under the law throughout the Union.
Italy took the first step in this direction last week, with a unanimous vote in favor by the Lower
House.
''At least Italy is among the first member nations in being receptive to this convention'', Angelilli
said. ''These first signatory states are bravely and with great determination saying, we must be in
the front lines against every kind of violence against women. Italy does well in joining these fellow
countries in the front lines of what is a revolution. Above all, there must be a cultural change''.
In another positive signal, the European Parliament on May 22 voted with an overwhelming
majority to endorse the European Commission's EU-wide protection order.
The new norm, which becomes effective January 11, 2015, will mean that citizens (in most cases
women) who have suffered domestic violence can rely on a restraining order obtained in their
home country wherever they are in the EU: the protection will travel with the citizens.
''The European protection order is very important, because it helps, protects, and safeguards
victims of gender violence throughout the EU, with no more distinctions. Victims will have concrete
help and a place to turn to, wherever they may be in the Union'', Angelilli pointed out. (ANSAmed).
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Two years on, the Istanbul Convention needs more ratifications
03/06/2013 - New Europe / International
A petition in the UK claims that as many as two women are killed by a current or former partner
every week. The petition was launched by a citizens’ campaign called Refuge, and the family of
Maria Stubbings, who was murdered by her former partner despite making repeated calls for help
to the police. It calls upon the government to open a public inquiry to investigate why victims of
domestic violence are still not getting the protection they deserve from the police and other state
agencies. .
Headlines sadly remind us that millions of women across the world suffer from violence and are
obliged to live in fear – just because they are women.
On 21 May 2013, Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva honoured two women with the
Council of Europe’s North-South prize, which recognises “exceptional commitment” to promoting
human rights, intercultural exchange and North-South solidarity.
During the award ceremony in Lisbon, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the
Council of Europe said that Monika Hauser, founder of Medica Mondiale – an NGO which assists
women in war and crisis zones – and Asma Jilani Jahangir, Pakistani lawyer and human rights
activist, “risked their lives to improve the condition of women, irrespective of ethnic or religious
origin.”
The Deputy Secretary General called upon states around the world to sign and ratify the Council of
Europe’s convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
The same day that the North-South prizes were awarded, a police commissioner in Essex (UK)
told the BBC that in Essex alone, “over 80 domestic abuse incidents are reported to police every
single day.”
May 2013 marks two years since the Council of Europe convention was opened for signature in
Istanbul. To date, only five states – Albania, Montenegro, Portugal, Turkey and, most recently, Italy
– have ratified. At first glance this may seem thin, because 10 ratifications are required for the
convention to go into effect. But many governments need to pass legislation introduce other
measures in their countries before they can ratify.
For example, the convention requires a free national telephone hotline for victims of domestic
violence. In an interview this month, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the French
press that – starting next year – such a nation-wide telephone hotline would be made available.
France is among the 25 states which have signed, but not yet ratified the convention.
The Council of Europe is hopeful there will be further ratifications this year.
For far too long, communities have seen domestic violence as a private matter, and police were
trained to respond accordingly. The community (and the criminal justice system) expected police to
be involved in only the most extreme cases as euphemisms for violence reflected such
detachment: “family trouble,” “domestic dispute,” “husband-wife spat.” Police tended to either
defuse the situation or attempt to mediate the “dispute,” reinforcing a perception of the victim and
assailant as equal parties with equal power over each other’s behaviour.
giFor the first time in history, the Istanbul Convention makes it clear that violence against women
and domestic violence can no longer be considered a private matter, but that states have an
obligation to prevent violence, protect victims and punish the perpetrators.
It also obliges states to ban any attempts that justify criminal behaviour on the basis of culture,
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custom, religion, tradition or so called honour – because “honour crimes” sadly hit the headlines as
well. Recently, a Swedish court upheld the guilty verdict of a 17-year-old boy who had stabbed his
sister more than 100 times after she fled a forced marriage in Iraq, in what the court referred to as
an “honour killing “.
North-South Prize winners Asma Jahangir and Monika Hauser were recognised for providing a
voice to the women of the world whose ordeals have gone unnoticed and to those who have
suffered in silence. They set an example for courage and for action.
The Council of Europe’s convention alone cannot end such violence, but its ratification would result
in governments across Europe – and possibly also beyond – taking important action to reduce
violence, from training professionals working with victims and setting up specialised support
services that provide medical assistance, to ensuring that law enforcement agencies respond
immediately to calls for assistance and manage dangerous situations adequately.
Just as important, the convention would set up a specific monitoring mechanism to ensure that its
provisions are put into practice.
The Council of Europe’s message is Safe from fear, Safe from violence. Perhaps someday
countries such as Saudi Arabia, which has just launched its first major campaign against domestic
violence, will be able to ratify the Council of Europe convention. The first step is to see the
convention enter into force with 10 ratifications, and then to promote it worldwide.
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Italy may finally be recognising that women aren't dispensable
30/05/2013 - The Telegraph Online / UK
Deep in Italy’s southern Calabria region, the town of Corigliano Calabro laid to rest one of its
residents on Tuesday. Last Friday, just weeks short of her 16th birthday, Fabiana Luzzi was
allegedly stabbed repeatedly, doused with petrol and set alight by her boyfriend.
As locals mourned Fabiana’s death, in Rome Italy’s Chamber of Deputies was ratifying the
Council of Europe Istanbul convention, a treaty aimed at combating and preventing violence
against women. The Convention stipulates: “It is the obligation of the state to fully address it in all
its forms and to take measures to prevent violence against women, protect its victims and
prosecute the perpetrators. Failure to do so would make it the responsibility of the state."
Fabiana’s horrifying murder has shocked a country which is becoming increasingly aware of its
plague of femminicidio (femicide). Figures from helpline Telefono Rosa confirmed by Italy’s
national statistics body, Istat, show that a woman in Italy was killed every two days in 2012,
compared to every three days in 2011. Furthermore, 47 women were victims of ‘attempted
femicide’ last year, according to the latest research from Bologna-based women’s organisation
Casa delle Donne.
Efforts are being made to put the issue on the national agenda. In her inaugural speech in March,
Chamber of Deputies speaker Laura Boldrini pledged to “take charge of the humiliation of women
suffering violence masquerading as love".
But in order to really “take charge", Italy has a bitter pill to swallow first. As Barbie Latza Nadeau
writes in this excellent piece, Italy is beset by “a serious cultural flaw that somehow enables
Italian men to believe women are dispensable." It is still a deeply chauvinist and sexist society.
Over the past two decades misogynistic perceptions of women have been reinforced by the mass
media, with private television channels owned by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and
state-owned broadcasters regularly casting women as showgirls.
A reportby the UN’s special rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, also makes
for a jarring read. Citing the work of lawyer Barbara Spinelli, Manjoo notes that among the causes
leading to femicide are “honour, men’s unemployment and jealousy by the perpetrator". Consider,
too, that it was only in 1981 that provisions in Italy窶冱 penal code which allowed for a reduced
penalty for those found guilty of killing their spouse, daughter or sister to defend the honour of the
family were repealed .
This week’s vote will not fix entrenched attitudes in a culture in which women have for so long
been solely considered either mothers or lovers . The vote now needs to be repeated in Italy’s
Senate in order to officially pass, and the convention itself needs the ratification of at least 10
countries to take effect (Italy is the fifth nation to ratify the treaty). The onus is now on the Italian
government to follow through with the convention’s provisions: it can no longer rely on mere
rhetoric.
Mourning is an intense, slow and long affair in Italy, and now is perhaps a crass moment to show
any signs of celebration. But, amid the grief for one teenage girl whose life was so brutally cut
short, it is of some reassurance that steps are finally being made to ensure no other girl or woman
should face the same fate as Fabiana.
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Italy tackles violence against women amid shock at girl's death: MPs
ratify treaty aimed at cutting domestic abuse
29/05/2013 - The Guardian / UK
Italy's lower house of parliament yesterday ratified a landmark treaty aimed at combating violence
against women.
The new government vowed to prioritise the issue as thousands gathered in a southern town for
the funeral of a 16-year-old girl allegedly killed by her boyfriend. At the end of an impassioned
parliamentary debate in Rome, MPs in the chamber of deputies voted unanimously to make Italy
the fifth country to ratify the Council of Europe's wide-ranging convention on violence against
women . - a move activists said would be a key step towards improving society's response to the
problem.
The vote was given an additional sense of urgency by events unfolding in the Calabrian town of
Corigliano Calabro, where people gathered to pay their respects to Fabiana Luzzi, a teenager
whose death has appalled a country becoming increasingly concerned by killings of women.
Fabiana, a dance-mad schoolgirl, was allegedly stabbed repeatedly last week by her 17-year-old
boyfriend. She is thought to have been still alive when he allegedly returned later to douse her in
petrol and set her alight.
On a visit to Corigliano, the new equal opportunities minister, Josefa Idem, said the ratification of
the so-called Istanbul convention was a good starting point for concrete political actions to help the
fight against gender-based violence.
"Faced with Fabiana's death, I reaffirm the commitment of all the government and my ministry to
make the fight against gender-based violence a key point of this legislature," she said, according to
the Ansa news agency.
"I feel the need to ask forgiveness from her and from all women killed by the hand of those who
abuse the word love. The state must be more effective in its commitment [and] be even closer to
the victims."
There are no official statistics, partly because the definition remains disputed, but according to the
women's organisation Casa della Donne in Bologna, 51 murders of women have been
documented in Italy so far this year. The group believes the real figure could be as much as a third
higher.
Last week, as well as Fabiana's killing, a 35-year-old Romanian woman, Angelica Timis, was
allegedly stabbed to death by her former partner in a small northern town near Milan. In Padua, a
50-year-old woman called Silvana Cassol was shot by her husband, who then turned the gun on
himself.
Italy's national statistics agency, Istat, said in late 2011 that about one in three women were the
victims of domestic violence.
After a visit to the country last year, the UN's special rapporteur on violence against women said
there was an urgent need to tackle the problem. Rashida Manjoo said: "Most manifestations of
violence are under-reported in the context of a family-oriented and patriarchal society where
domestic violence is not always perceived as a crime, there is economic dependency, and there
are perceptions that the state response to such complaints will not be appropriate or helpful."
Before Italy officially ratifies the Istanbul convention, the vote in the chamber of deputies needs to
be repeated in the upper house of parliament, or senate. In the current climate, ratification appears
to be certain.
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Angela Romanin, of Casa della Donne, said the vote was an important step forward for Italy, but
the government now needed to prove its mettle by following through on all the measures contained
in the convention. "In Italy, the state is lacking. It hasn't done an awful lot to stop violence against
women," she said.
Signed by more than 25 countries but so far ratified only by Albania, Turkey, Portugal and
Montenegro, the convention needs the ratification of 10 - including eight Council of Europe
member states - to come into effect.
Britain, although not among the initial signatories in 2011, followed suit last year, with David
Cameron describing it as a "landmark agreement between countries that together we're going to
drag this problem into broad daylight and tackle it head on".
Lizzy Davies Rome
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Brutal murder of teenager overshadows Italy women's rights vote
28/05/2013 - 20:34 Reuters News
* Lower house of parliament ratifies treaty on violence against women
* Vote comes after shocking series of murders of women
* Funeral of teenager burned to death held as vote takes place
ROME, May 28 (Reuters) - Italy's lower house ratified on Tuesday a treaty combating violence
against women in a session overshadowed by the brutal murder of a teenager that has shocked a
country dogged by lingering machismo and inequality between the sexes.
The Council of Europe Istanbul convention is intended to reinforce measures to protect women
from violence and has had particular resonance in Italy following a horrific series of murders and
acid attacks on women in recent months.
Before the session opened, House Speaker Laura Boldrini called for a minute's silence in memory
of Fabiana Luzzi, a teenager whose murder on Friday has shocked Italy.
"She was burned alive because of jealousy at 16 years old by a boy of 17, her boyfriend. Once
again violence masquerading as love. It's a horror we cannot become accustomed to and shows
the challenge we face is cultural," Boldrini said.
Thousands of mourners including Minister for Equal Opportunities Josefa Idem attended Luzzi's
funeral in a small town in southern Italy as voting took place in parliament.
Speaking at the funeral, Idem said the state needed to do more to protect women after dozens of
other cases of women killed by their partners reported this year.
Yet politicians were criticised for not taking the issue more seriously after only a handful turned up
to the debate about the treaty on Monday with newspapers featuring photographs of the nearly
empty chamber.
The treaty still needs final ratification in the Senate for final approval by Italy, which would join
Turkey, Albania, Portugal and Montenegro in backing the convention. It needs the support of at
least 10 countries to take effect.
If the convention comes into force, Italy will still need to put in place the treaty provisions, including
measures to prevent and redress violence, something the cash-tight government may struggle to
fund as it grapples with rising unemployment and Italy's longest postwar recession.
MURDER
No current official statistics exist on the number of murders of women in Italy, a society often
criticised for ingrained sexism, but Telefono Rosa, a domestic violence support group, said the
problem had reached dramatic levels.
It says 38 women have been killed by men because of their gender, compared to 124 last year,
most by current or former partners. But the figures may mask the scale of the problem.
A 2012 United Nations report on violence against women in Italy said more than 90 percent of
women who suffered rape or abuse did not report it, and though murders of men by men had
fallen, the number of women killed by men had increased.
Italy ranked 80 out of 135 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2012 Gender Gap Report, one
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of the lowest ratings in Europe, noting particularly low wage equality, numbers of women in senior
positions and representation in politics.
"In Italy machismo, misogynist attitudes and treating women as objects have become worse in the
last five years. We have gone backwards," said Anna Baldry, a psychologist who works on
violence against women at the Second University of Naples. (Editing by Jon Hemming)
By Naomi O'Leary
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Italy backs treaty against domestic violence
May 29, 2013 – Sydney Morning Herald
Rome: Italy's lower chamber of parliament has ratified a European anti-domestic violence treaty as
the country buried its latest female murder victim: a 15-year-old girl stabbed 20 times and burnt
alive, allegedly by her boyfriend.
The issue of Italy's rising tide of violence against women has been in the spotlight with a raft of
headline-grabbing murders of women, often by current or past lovers.
The UN special investigator on violence against women reported last year that, since the 1990s,
homicides committed by men against men have fallen in Italy while the number of women
murdered by men has increased: in 2010, the figure was 127.
On Tuesday, Italy's lower Chamber of Deputies ratified the Council of Europe's convention on
preventing and combating violence against women, sending the bill to the Senate where passage
is expected.
The 2011 treaty creates a legal framework to prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against
women. So far, four Council of Europe members have ratified it.
The unanimous vote occurred at the same time as the funeral for Fabiana Luzzi, who was beaten,
stabbed 20 times and burnt alive last Friday in the southern town of Corigliano Calabro in Italy's
poor region of Calabria.
Italian news reports said her boyfriend, identified only as Davide because he is a minor, was in
custody and had confessed.
Details of the crime turned even more gruesome after news reports citing the coroner and
prosecutors said Ms Luzzi had bled for two hours and was alive when her boyfriend returned with a
tank of gas. She apparently tried unsuccessfully to fight him off before he doused her with the fuel
and set her alight.
The UN special rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, said 78 per cent of all
violence committed against women in Italy was domestic in nature. Ms Luzzi's friends were quoted
in Italian news reports as saying her boyfriend had physically abused her but she had loved him.
In describing the cultural context in which such violence occurs, Ms Manjoo noted that gender
stereotypes were "deeply rooted" in Italy, with women underrepresented in public and private
senior management positions.
AP
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Ratifican en Italia convención de Estambul contra feminicidio
29/05/2013 - NOTIMEX / Mexico
La Cámara de diputados italiana ratificó hoy la Convención del Consejo de Europa contra el
feminicidio, mientras aumentan en el país los casos de mujeres asesinadas por sus parejas.
La presidenta de la Cámara baja, Laura Boldrini, anunció que fue ratificada por unanimidad la
Convención del Consejo de Europa sobre la prevención y lucha contra la violencia hacia las
mujeres y la violencia doméstica, firmada en Estambul, Turquía, el 11 de mayo de 2011.
La iniciativa de ley ahora deberá recibir el voto definitivo del Senado, aunque Boldrini confirmó que
se trata del primer instrumento internacional jurídicamente vinculante.
Resaltó que con la Convención se crea un marco jurídicamente completo para proteger a las
mujeres contra cualquier forma de violencia, física o psicológica, desde la violación hasta el acoso
sexual y laboral, a los matrimonios forzados o la mutilación de los genitales.
También establece un compromiso a todos los niveles, eliminando toda forma de discriminación y
promoviendo “la concreta paridad entre sexos, reforzando la autonomía y la autodeterminación de
las mujeres".
Italia es el quinto país que ratifica la Convención, tras Montenegro, Albania, Turquía y Portugal, y
para que se vuelva operativa se requiere que al menos 10 naciones la firmen.
La viceministra de Exteriores, Marta Dassú, subrayó el carácter simbólico de la ratificación de la
Convención el mismo día que se celebraron en la meridional región de Calabria los funerales de
una chica de 16 años, Fabiana Luzzi, asesinada y quemada por su novio.
A las exequias asistió la ministra de Igualdad, Josefa Idem, quien el lunes anunció la creación de
una fuerza a nivel gubernamental contra la violencia hacia las mujeres, además de que confirmó
que presentará una iniciativa de ley que afronte de manera orgánica el feminicidio.
Según el libro “Los laberintos del mal", de Luciano Garofano y Rossella Diaz, en Italia una mujer
es asesinada cada dos días.
El texto presentó datos del Instituto de Estadísticas (Istat) nacional, de acuerdo con el cual en
2012 fueron asesinadas 124 mujeres en el país europeo, frente a las 119 de 2009.
Dijo que en los últimos años ha habido un incremento de los homicidios en el ámbito familiar y
sentimental, y que cerca del 70 por ciento de las víctimas muere a manos de su pareja o ex pareja
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Violenza donne/ Idem: Bene unità Parlamento, è segnale forte; Spero
vittime soprusi lo sentano come reazione Istituzioni
29/05/2013 - TM News - Political News / Italia
"Con l'approvazione da parte della Camera dei Deputati della "Convenzione di Istanbul" contro la
violenza sulle donne, il nostro Paese manda un segnale forte e deciso per contrastare il fenomeno
del femminicidio e della violenza domestica. Per una tragica coincidenza, il passaggio alla Camera
del documento avviene proprio nel giorno dei funerali di Fabiana Luzzi, la sedicenne di Corigliano
calabro uccisa dal fidanzato. Vorrei che la famiglia di Fabiana e tutte le donne vittime di soprusi
sentano il voto della Camera come una reazione efficace del Governo e delle Istituzioni ad ogni
fenomeno di violenza di genere".
Lo ha afffermato la ministra per le Pari opportunità, lo Sport e le Politiche giovanili Josefa Idem,
commentando il voto favorevole della Camera alla ratifica della Convenzione del Consiglio
d'Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza
domestica, redatta ad Istanbul l'11 novembre 2011 e sottoscritta dall'Italia il 27 settembre 2012.
"Grazie all'impegno delle Deputate e dei Deputati - ha detto ancora la Ministra Idem - il passaggio
alla Camera della Convenzione è stato un percorso celere e senza ostacoli. Sono sicura di poter
contare sulla sensibilità del presidente del Senato, Pietro Grasso, e su quella dei colleghi senatori,
per veder approvata la Convenzione in tempi altrettanto rapidi anche da parte di Palazzo
Madama".
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Femminicidio
29/05/2013 - ANSA / Italia
FEMMINICIDIO:OK CAMERA CONVENZIONE ISTANBUL,ECCO MISURE.
SI' UNANIME; LETTA,BELLA NOTIZIA. BOLDRINI, SEGNALE IMPORTANTE.
Via libera all'unanimita' alla Camera alla Convenzione di Istanbul. Ottantuno articoli per difendere
le donne dalla violenza compresa quella domestica che tanto ha scosso l'Italia in questi ultimi anni.
Si tratta del primo strumento di intervento internazionale che vedra' l'Italia, dopo il passaggio del
senato, come la quinta nazione a dare il suo consenso a questo documento dopo Turchia,
Montenegro, Albania e Portogallo. Consenso bipartisan tra i partiti al primo ok. E' scattato anche il
plauso del premier Enrico Letta, che parla di una ''bella notizia'', e del presidente della Camera,
Laura Boldrini (''e' un segnale importante'',dice)
Perche' diventi operativa dovra' essere ratificata da almeno 10 Stati di cui 8 componenti del
Consiglio d'Europa. La convenzione elenca,in dettaglio tutti i campi di intervento sottolineando che
gli Stati dovranno adottare tutte le misure legislative e di altro tipo per esercitare la ''debita
diligenza nel prevenire,indagare,punire i responsabili e risarcire le vittime di atti di violenza
commessi da soggetti non statali''. La convenzione sollecita l'adozione di ''politiche sensibili al
genere'' e spiga che la sua validita' si applica ''a tutte le forme di violenza contro le donne,
compresa la violenza domestica che colpisce le donne in maniera sproporzionata''. Il fine e'
chiaro:sanzionare ''tutti gli atti di violenza fondati sul genere che provocano o sono suscettibili di
provocare danni o sofferenze di natura fisica ,sessuale,psicologica o economica, comprese le
minacce di compiere tali atti,la coercizione o la privazione arbitraria della liberta',sia nella vita
pubblica, sia nella vita privata''. Quindi contrasto ad ogni forma di violenza,fisica e psicologica sulle
donne; dallo stupro allo stalking, dai matrimoni forzati alle mutilazioni genitali e impegno a tutti i
livelli sulla prevenzione, eliminando al contempo ogni forma di discriminazione e promuovendo ''la
concreta parita' tra i sessi, rafforzando l'autonomia e l'autodeterminazione delle donne''.
Tra gli obiettivi elencati dal Trattato anche quello di predisporre ''un quadro globale di politiche e
misure di protezione e di assistenza a favore di tutte le vittime di violenza contro le donne e di
violenza domestica''; di ''promuovere la cooperazione internazionale''; di ''sostenere e assistere le
organizzazioni e autorita' incaricate dell'applicazione della legge in modo che possano collaborare
efficacemente''.I Paesi che sottoscrivono la Convenzione ''adottano le misure legislative e di altro
tipo necessarie per promuovere e tutelare il diritto di tutti gli individui, e segnatamente delle donne,
di vivere liberi dalla violenza, sia nella vita pubblica che privata'', e ''condannano ogni forma di
discriminazione nei confronti delle donne'', adottando misure legislative e di altro tipo necessarie
per prevenirla, inserendo in Costituzione e negli altri ordinamenti il principio della parita' tra i sessi,
garantendo ''l'effettiva applicazione del principio'', vietando la discriminazione nei confronti delle
donne e abrogando le leggi e le pratiche che discriminano le donne. Le Nazioni che sottoscrivono il
Trattato si impegnano inoltre a promuovere ed attuare ''politiche efficaci volte a favorire la parita'
tra le donne e gli uomini e l'emancipazione e l'autodeterminazione delle donne''. Va inoltre
sostenuto ''a tutti i livelli'' il lavoro delle Ong e delle donne e delle associazioni della societa' civile
attive nella lotta alla violenza contro le donne. Rimane aperta la questione degli stanziamenti per
sostenere tutta la serie di interventi che la convenzione delinea. La legge di ratifica,infatti,
sottolinea che "le misure amministrative necessarie all'attuazione e all'esecuzione della
Convenzione sono assicurate con le risorse umane,strumentali e finanziarie disponibili a
legislazione vigente". Cioè senza ulteriori spese
(Di Paolo Cucchiarelli)
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Convenzione delle donne
29/05/2013 - Il Giorno - Il Resto del Carlino- La Nazione / Italia
IERI pomeriggio alla Camera si è votata la ratifica della Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa sulla
prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza domestica, aperta
alla firma degli altri Stati membri a Istanbul nel 2011 e sottoscritta dall'Italia nel 2012. Le deputate
del Movimento 5 Stelle, Maria Edera Spadoni e Giulia Di Vita, prima e seconda firmataria di una
proposta di legge accorpata a quelle di altri parlamentari in un testo unico, «non solo ne chiedono
l'immediata approvazione fanno sapere in una nota stampa ma sottolineano anche il passaggio
avvenuto in Commissione Bilancio. Quest'ultima, infatti, nonostante il parere favorevole, ha
sollecitato il reperimento dei fondi per la sua copertura finanziaria, affinché, una volta entrata in
vigore, la Convenzione non resti lettera morta', ma sia recepita dagli ordinamenti giuridici degli
Stati membri del Consiglio d'Europa».
PLAUSO della senatrice Leana Pignedoli per l'approvazione della Convenzione di Istanbul: «Bene
la ratifica unanime alla camera, ora si passi subito al senato».
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Convenzione di Istanbul, sì della Camera all’accordo contro la violenza
sulle donne
29/05/2013 - Il Fatto Quotidiano / Italia
L'Aula di Montecitorio ha approvato con 545 "si" la ratifica della Convenzione del Consiglio
d'Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne. Molti deputati
chiedono però che si faccia un ulteriore passo e che sia approvata presto "una legge sul
femminicidio"
“E’ motivo di grande soddisfazione il voto con il quale la Camera dei deputati ha approvato la
ratifica della Convenzione di Istanbul contro la violenza sulle donne”. Ad annunciare l’esito positivo
della votazione è la presidente della Camera Laura Boldrini. Con 545 voti su 545 l’aula di
Montecitorio ha infatti dato il via libera, all’unanimità, alla ratifica della Convenzione di Istanbul.
BOLDRINI: “ASSEMBLEA MOLTO PARTECIPATA” - Il risultato della votazione, con cui l’Italia
diventa il quinto Paese ad aver ratificato il provvedimento dopo Albania, Montenegro, Repubblica
Ceca e Turchia è stato accolto da un lungo applauso. “E’ stato un voto unanime espresso da
un’assemblea molto partecipata – prosegue Laura Boldrini – Un segnale di sensibilità
dell’Istituzione, tanto più importante perché arriva nelle ore in cui, in Calabria, viene dato l’addio
all’ennesima vittima della ferocia maschile, Fabiana, la giovanissima donna che in questi due giorni
di interventi molti deputati e deputate hanno voluto onorare”. Il voto, infatti, arriva nel giorno dei
funerali di Fabiana Luzzi, la sedicenne prima accoltellata e poi bruciata viva dal fidanzato 17enne a
Corigliano Calabro, a cui ha preso parte anche il ministro per le Pari Opportunità Josefa Idem.
“ORA IL TESTO AL SENATO PER APPROVAZIONE DEFINITIVA” - Poi la presidente della
Camera spiega l’iter che il provvedimento dovrà seguire. “Il voto di oggi – prosegue – è il
raggiungimento di un primo, importante obiettivo. Ora il testo passa al Senato, dove ho fiducia che
potrà contare su un’eguale attenzione. Si tratterà poi di varare la legge di attuazione della
Convenzione che abbia la copertura finanziaria necessaria per permettere la realizzazione dei
concreti interventi di sostegno. Sono certa che il nostro Parlamento saprà continuare sulla strada
oggi intrapresa. Così come spero che l’Italia possa assumere a livello internazionale un ruolo di
traino – conclude Boldrini – verso quei Paesi, dell’Unione Europea o esterni ad essa, che non
hanno ancora sottoscritto la Convenzione”.
LE REAZIONI - Grande soddisfazione è stata espressa anche dal ministro delle Pari Opportunità
Josefa Idem. “Con l’approvazione da parte della Camera dei Deputati della Convenzione di
Istanbul, il nostro Paese manda un segnale forte e deciso per contrastare il fenomeno del
femminicidio e della violenza domestica“. Poi il ministro ha auspicato che il ddl di ratifica venga
approvato “in tempi altrettanto rapidi anche da parte di Palazzo Madama“. Plausi arrivano anche
dal ministro per l’Integrazione Cecile Kyenge, che definisce il risultato “un voto che fa bene e che
incoraggia”. Via twitter arriva anche il commento del presidente del Consiglio Enrico Letta: “Una
buona notizia l’ok unanime alla Camera alla convenzione di Istanbul sul femminicidio”. “Una prova
di maturità del sistema politico che fa ben sperare per il prosieguo dei lavori, di un messaggio
chiaro di vicinanza alle vittime e di monito ai potenziali aggressori”, è il commento di Mara
Carfagna, relatrice del provvedimento.
La Convenzione del Consiglio d’Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti
delle donne è stata siglata nella città turca l’11 maggio del 2011. Il testo interviene anche sulla
violenza domestica e rappresenta il primo strumento internazionale giuridicamente vincolante che
mira a creare un quadro normativo completo a tutela delle donne contro qualsiasi forma di
violenza. Perché diventi operativa dovrà essere ratificata da almeno 10 Stati di cui 8 componenti
del Consiglio d’Europa.
I PUNTI DELLA CONVENZIONE - La convenzione elenca, in 81 punti, tutti i campi di intervento
sottolineando che gli Stati dovranno adottare tutte le misure legislative e di altro tipo per esercitare
la “debita diligenza nel prevenire, indagare, punire i responsabili e risarcire le vittime di atti di
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violenza commessi da soggetti non statali”.
La convenzione inoltre sollecita l’adozione di “politiche sensibili al genere” e spiega che la sua
validità si applica “a tutte le forme di violenza contro le donne, compresa la violenza domestica che
colpisce le donne in maniera sproporzionata”. Il fine è chiaro: sanzionare “tutti gli atti di violenza
fondati sul genere che provocano o sono suscettibili di provocare danni o sofferenze di natura
fisica, sessuale, psicologica o economica, comprese le minacce di compiere tali atti,la coercizione
o la privazione arbitraria della libertà,sia nella vita pubblica, sia nella vita privata”.
Quindi contrasto ad ogni forma di violenza, fisica e psicologica sulle donne; dallo stupro allo
stalking, dai matrimoni forzati alle mutilazioni genitali e impegno a tutti i livelli sulla prevenzione,
eliminando al contempo ogni forma di discriminazione e promuovendo “la concreta parità tra i
sessi, rafforzando l’autonomia e l’autodeterminazione delle donne“.
Tra gli obiettivi elencati dal Trattato anche quello di predisporre “un quadro globale di politiche e
misure di protezione e di assistenza a favore di tutte le vittime di violenza contro le donne e di
violenza domestica”; di “promuovere la cooperazione internazionale“; di “sostenere e assistere le
organizzazioni e autorità incaricate dell’applicazione della legge in modo che possano collaborare
efficacemente”.
I Paesi che sottoscrivono la Convenzione “adottano le misure legislative e di altro tipo necessarie
per promuovere e tutelare il diritto di tutti gli individui, e segnatamente delle donne, di vivere liberi
dalla violenza, sia nella vita pubblica che privata”, e “condannano ogni forma di discriminazione nei
confronti delle donne”, adottando misure legislative e di altro tipo necessarie per prevenirla,
inserendo in Costituzione e negli altri ordinamenti il principio della parità tra i sessi, garantendo
“l’effettiva applicazione del principio”, vietando la discriminazione nei confronti delle donne e
abrogando le leggi e le pratiche che discriminano le donne. Le Nazioni che sottoscrivono il Trattato
si impegnano inoltre a promuovere ed attuare “politiche efficaci volte a favorire la parità tra le
donne e gli uomini e l’emancipazione e l’autodeterminazione delle donne”. Va inoltre sostenuto “a
tutti i livelli” il lavoro delle Ong e delle donne e delle associazioni della società civile attive nella
lotta alla violenza contro le donne.
Rimane aperta la questione degli stanziamenti per sostenere tutta la serie di interventi che la
convenzione delinea. La legge di ratifica, infatti, sottolinea che “le misure amministrative
necessarie all’attuazione e all’esecuzione della Convenzione sono assicurate con le risorse
umane,strumentali e finanziarie disponibili a legislazione vigente”.
SBROLLINI (PD): “SERVE LEGGE SUL FEMMINICIDIO” - La discussione in aula prima del voto
ha spinto molti deputati di diversi gruppi a chiedere che si vada oltre la ratifica della normativa
internazionale che interviene anche sulla violenza domestica. “Serve una legge sul femminicidio“,
afferma Daniela Sbrollini (Pd), ricevendo il sostegno di molti colleghi. E la proposta riceve
l’appoggio anche di Pia Locatelli, presidente del gruppo Misto in Commissione Esteri e presidente
onoraria dell’Internazionale socialista donne, che nel suo intervento sottolinea: ”La ratifica della
Convenzione di Istanbul, rappresenta un primo importante passo avanti, ma dobbiamo evitare che
questo atto si riduca a pura operazione di immagine: tale sarebbe se si lasciasse immutata la
legislazione vigente”.
LA VIGILIA DEL VOTO - La vigilia del voto era stata caratterizzata dalle polemiche. Prima la
strigliata del presidente della Camera Laura Boldrini che aveva espresso grande rammarico per la
scarsa presenza in Aula durante la discussione per la ratifica. Poi lo scontro a distanza tra la
relatrice del provvedimento Maria Carfagna (Pdl) e la deputata Carla Ruocco del M5S. La seconda
aveva definito l’intervento della portavoce dei deputati del Popolo della Libertà “una pagliacciata”.
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Violenza sulle donne, la Camera frena sul sì al 'gender'
29/05/2013 - Avvenire / Italia
Il no unanime alla violenza sulle donne diventa un sì bipartisan di ratifica alla Convenzione di
Istanbul. All’indomani dell’ultimo, raccapricciante caso di cronaca nera – che ha visto la
quindicenne Fabiana Luzzi accoltellata e bruciata ancora viva dall’ex ragazzo – l’aula di
Montecitorio ha discusso ieri sulla "Convenzione in materia di prevenzione e contrasto della
violenza sulle donne", che il Comitato dei ministri del Consiglio d’Europa aveva approvato il 7
aprile 2011. Dopo la ratifica dei parlamenti di Turchia, Albania, Montenegro e Portogallo, si fa
avanti l’Italia. Tutti d’accordo, anche se c’è chi – nel Pd e in Sel – prova ad allargare
strumentalmente il tema alle violenze «di genere». O chi – come Galan del Pdl – ne approfitta per
parlare di coppie gay. Mario Marazziti di Scelta civica annuncia che un ordine del giorno della
Commissione Esteri – sottoscritto da Pd, Pdl e Scelta civica – oggi ribadirà l’aggancio
costituzionale della ratifica. Con riferimento cioè alla nota verbale del governo Monti, con cui si
annunciava una ratifica italiana ma nel rispetto dei principi della Costituzione, perché la definizione
di genere della Convenzione approvata dal Consiglio d’Europa è ritenuta troppo ampia.
Al dibattito sul Trattato, l’emiciclo di Montecitorio si presenta semideserto, complici certo il lunedì e
gli scrutini delle amministrative. «Dispiace vedere un’aula così vuota», si rammarica la presidente
della Camera Laura Boldrini, che invita i colleghi a un minuto di silenzio per l’omicidio di Corigliano:
«Noi comunque continuiamo col nostro impegno e i nostri lavori», conclude, complimentandosi poi
con la relatrice del Trattato, Mara Carfagna del Pdl.
La procedura di ratifica oggi non prevede la possibilità di emendamenti o modifiche in alcun senso.
Ma ieri qualche dichiarazione ha usato come piattaforma l’articolo 3 della stessa Convenzione, là
dove si dichiara che la «violenza nei confronti delle donne» comprende «tutti gli atti di violenza
fondati sul genere». Termine col quale, specifica il paragrafo C, «ci si riferisce a ruoli,
comportamenti, attività e attributi socialmente costruiti che una determinata società considera
appropriati per donne e uomini». E oggi con ogni probabilità il voto sui diversi ordini del giorno dei
gruppi sarà occasione per piantare qualche bandiera ideologica.
Sì al Trattato, ribadisce dunque l’ordine del giorno della Commissione esteri, ma restando in linea
con i principi della Costituzione. «È sulla base di questa coerenza – chiarisce Paola Binetti di
Scelta civica – che il Trattato va recepito e tradotto nella relativa normativa applicativa, evitando
alcune ambiguità. Non si sentiva alcun bisogno di introdurre il concetto di genere in un trattato in
cui al centro dell’attenzione c’è la donna in evidente e chiara contrapposizione con il maschio,
vittima e aggressore».
«La questione del riconoscimento dei diritti civili delle coppie gay – puntualizza dal canto suo
Dorina Bianchi del Pdl – in merito alla quale il collega di partito Galan ha annunciato un ddl, non è
assolutamente prioritaria, anzi è inopportuna per i costi sul welfare». Deborah Bergamini del Pdl
invitato a procedere «in modo multipartisan lasciando da parte ideologie». Sull’omicidio di Fabiana,
archetipo di tutte le violenze, Pia Locatelli del Misto invita a evitare definizioni quali «dramma della
gelosia, si tratta di machismo criminale». Nel dibattito cerca spazio anche la grillina Carla Ruocco:
polemizzando con Mara Carfagna, parla di «pagliacciata» quando l’ex ministro delle Pari
opportunità «incita la tv a non strumetalizzare il corpo femminile». «La violenza sulle donne – è la
replica della Carfagna – nasce anche dall’imbecillità dei preconcetti. Io ho prodotto provvedimenti
che hanno dato risultati, voi vi siete occupati di scontrini e diarie».
Luca Liverani
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Violenza sulle donne
29/05/2013 - L'Unita / Italia
Camera approva Convenzione Istanbul
L'Aula della Camera ha approvato all'unanimità la ratifica della Convenzione di Istanbul contro la
violenza sulle donne. I sì sono stati 545. Il risultato è stato salutato da un applauso dell'emiciclo. Il
testo passa ora all'esame del Senato.
Così la Camera ha votato la ratifica della Convenzione sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la
violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza domestica, aperta alla firma degli altri Stati membri
a Istanbul nel 2011 e sottoscritta dall`Italia nel 2012.
Le deputate del MoVimento 5 Stelle, Maria Edera Spadoni e Giulia Di Vita - rispettivamente prima
e seconda firmataria di una proposta di legge accorpata a quelle di altri parlamentari in un testo
unico -ne chiedono l`immediata approvazione, ma sottolineano anche il passaggio avvenuto in
Commissione Bilancio.
Quest`ultima, infatti, nonostante il parere favorevole, ha sollecitato il reperimento dei fondi per la
sua copertura finanziaria, affinché - una volta entrata in vigore - la Convenzione non resti «lettera
morta», ma sia recepita dagli ordinamenti giuridici degli Stati membri del Consiglio d`Europa.
«Ogni giorno che passa, il bollettino di guerra viene aggiornato con il nome di una nuova vittima dichiarano le deputate - Non possiamo permetterci che la ratifica non trovi il suo naturale sbocco
nella formulazione e applicazione dei reati previsti dalla Convenzione. In aggiunta alla futura
attuazione della convenzione, l'Italia deve correre ai ripari autonomamente, rinnovando il Piano
Nazionale Antiviolenza, da integrare con i principi ispiratori della Convenzione e coinvolgendo le
organizzazioni no profit attive nel settore. Se ci fossero ancora dei dubbi sull`urgenza di questi
provvedimenti, la cronaca dei giorni scorsi sul brutale omicidio di Fabiana Luzzi - accoltellata e
bruciata viva a Corigliano Calabro - serve, purtroppo, a fugarli.
La Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti
delle donne e la violenza domestica, ratificata oggi all'unanimità dalla Camera dei deputati fu
approvata ad Istanbul l'11 maggio 2011. Si tratta di 81 articoli che sono stati ratificati ad oggi da
quattro Stati: Albania, Montenegro, Turchia, Portogallo.
L'Italia è il quinto Stato. Ma serve la ratifica di almeno 10 Stati perché la Convenzione diventi
esecutiva. In premessa si sottolinea che «il raggiungimento dell'uguaglianza di genere de jure e de
facto è un elemento chiave per prevenire la violenza contro le donne» e che «la violenza contro le
donne è una manifestazione dei rapporti di forza storicamente diseguali tra i sessi, che hanno
portato alla dominazione sulle donne e alla discriminazione nei loro confronti da parte degli uomini
e impedito la loro piena emancipazione». Ancora in premessa viene riconosciuta «la natura
strutturale della violenza contro le donne, in quanto basata sul genere», e che «la violenza contro
le donne è uno dei meccanismi sociali cruciali per mezzo dei quali le donne sono costrette in una
posizione subordinata rispetto agli uomini».
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Approvata la legge che istituisce un fondo per la tutela legale alle donne
vittime di violenza; La Regione
29/05/2013 - La Repubblica Firenze / Italia
LA REGIONE assicurerà con una legge ad hoc il diritto all'assistenza legale gratuita alle vittime di
atti violenza, anche in ambito familiare, di maltrattamenti e sfruttamento. La mozione bipartisan,
primo firmatario il consigliere regionale Pd Paolo Tognocchi, è stata approvata oggi all'unanimità.
«Con questa mozione - ha sottolineato Tognocchi in aula - la Toscana dice la propria in un giorno
che sarà ricordato per la ratifica da parte del Parlamento della Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa
sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne siglata a Istanbul nel 2011».
Secondo Tognocchi la mozione permetterà alla Toscana di «essere all'avanguardia nella tutela dei
diritti di cittadinanza sociale». Il documento impegna la Giunta a emanare una proposta di legge
per l'istituzione di un fondo di sostegno per il pagamento delle spese di assistenza legale.
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Convenzione di Istanbul
29/05/2013 - La Repubblica / Italia
"No al femminicidio, nel nome di Fabiana"; La Camera approva all'unanimità la Convenzione di
Istanbul. Boldrini: "Segnale importante"
(segue dalla prima pagina)
ROMA - Cinquecentoquarantacinque sì contro la violenza sulle donne. Nel giorno dell'addio a
Fabiana, massacrata e uccisa a 16 anni dal fidanzato, i deputati della Camera, ricordandola in tutte
le dichiarazioni di voto, hanno ratificato all'unanimità la convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa siglata
a Istanbul nel 2011 «per la prevenzione e la lotta alla violenza nei confronti sulle donne e la
violenza domestica». «Una ratifica doverosa che non lenisce il senso di angoscia pensando alla
vita spezzata di Fabiana e di tutte le donne vittime di femminicidio», ha sottolineato da Corigliano
la ministra alle Pari Opportunita Josefa Idem. «Un segnale importante arrivato nel giorno dei
funerali di Fabiana», ha detto Laura Boldrini, presidente della Camera. La Convenzione è il primo
strumento internazionale che crea un quadro giuridico completo per proteggere le donne contro
ogni violenza. Un provvedimento che ora dovrà passare al vaglio del Senato e che per essere
vincolante dovrà essere ratificato da almeno dieci Stati: l'Italia è il quinto, dopo Montenegro,
Albania, Turchia e Portogallo. Senza contare che, per diventare effettivo, dovrà essere finanziato
dal governo altrimenti resteranno solo parole, come hanno ricordato diversi deputati bipartisan
parlando dei centri antiviolenza chiusi per mancanza di fondi.
Composta di 81 articoli la Convenzione considera la violenza sulle donne - da quella psicologica a
quella fisica ed economica: dallo stalking all'infibulazione - alla stregua di una violazione dei diritti
umani. Tra gli obiettivi quello di predisporre «un quadro globale di politiche e misure di protezione
e di assistenza delle vittime e di promuovere la cooperazione internazionale. I Paesi che
sottoscrivono la Convenzione dovranno promuovere e tutelare il diritto di tutti a essere liberi dalla
violenza, nella vita pubblicae privata. Condannano ogni forma di discriminazione nei confronti delle
donne e adottano misure legislative per prevenirla.
Prevedendo sanzioni, abrogando leggi e pratiche che discriminano le donne. Oltre a varare misure
legislative destinate a «prevenire, indagare, punire i responsabili e risarcire le vittime di atti di
violenza».
PASOLINI E SANNINO
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MEPs have urged member states to ratify the Council of Europe's
convention on violence against women.
By Martin Banks - 12th April 2013 – The Parliament.com
At a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, they also called on the European commission to table a
European law to address the issue.
In Europe, seven women are killed every day and one woman in five has experienced severe
physical violence at least once in her life, the hearing was told.
Addressing the meeting, S&D group president Hannes Swoboda said, "Violence against women is
sadly still a problem of pandemic proportions. It affects women in all socioeconomic groups in
society.
"The Council of Europe convention on violence against women is the first and the most farreaching legally binding instrument on violence against women.
"It compels governments to pursue a zero-tolerance policy on violence against women. For the first
time, violence and domestic violence against women are no longer private matters. Governments
must prevent violence, protect victims and punish perpetrators."
So far, only 17 member states have signed the convention and just one EU country - Portugal has ratified it.
Swoboda's comments were echoed by S&D deputy leader Corina Cretu, who chaired the event.
She said, "All EU countries must sign and ratify this convention as soon as possible. Every year,
gender-based violence kills and disables as many women as cancer does. Today we are sending a
strong signal that it can no longer continue.
"The Socialists and Democrats have long been committed to combating violence against women.
Again we urge the European commission to propose a directive inspired by the convention."
Further comment came from S&D group spokeswoman Britta Thomsen, who said, "Since 2009 we
have made some progress, especially on protecting victims' rights.
"As more and more people are travelling around in Europe, it is important to have common rules to
protect victims.
"The protection order will ensure that any victim of violence can be protected by a restraining order
not only in the country where the events occurred but in any EU member state.
"Much more needs to be done. More than 600 million women live in countries where violence
against women is not a crime. There is still a long way to go especially to protect women in armed
conflicts."
The event was told that violence against woman is still an "ongoing struggle" throughout the world,
and Europe "is unfortunately no exemption".
It heard that the EU directive concerning minimum rights for victims is an "important" step towards
securing European citizens rights across Europe.
One of the key elements in the directive is for the victim to have access to information.
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A report by Swedish GUE MEP Eva-Britt Svensson on "priorities and outline of a new EU policy
framework to fight violence against women" resulted in a parliamentary resolution.
The meeting was told that several of the key points from the report have later been adopted in the
victim's package directive.
These include the enhanced training of officials to help victims of crimes. Victims of stalkers will get
an enhanced protection.
In the field of trafficking there have been "genuine" improvements, it was said.
These include not only measures to prevent trafficking, but also in the field of helping women who
have been a victim of trafficking.
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Europe’s “most advanced” treaty against domestic violence to come
into force in early 2014
15/04/2013 19:32 CET – Euronews.com
If national and local authorities are doing their bit to tackle the problem of domestic violence, a
sweeping supra-national convention is also in the works. It is the Council of Europe (COE)
Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
It is, according to a COE spokesperson, the “most advanced” international treaty to tackle domestic
violence ever. Johanna Nelles, Head of the Violence Against Women unit at the Directorate
General on Human Rights and Rule of Law, concurs. ““This is the most comprehensive treaty and
the only legally binding instrument in this area.”
The treaty has also been described as a future “gold standard” by UN Women Deputy Executive
Director Lakshmi Puri. The treaty’s articles contain a wide range of policies and measures ranging
from education to shelters, phone help lines and increased pressure to criminalise physical as well
as psychological violence, including stalking.
"Refuge for the victims- how Wales is tackling domestic violence"
The treaty almost had fewer teeth. Several amendments proposed by countries such as the
Russian Federation, the United Kingdom or the Holy See aimed at limiting the scope and language
of the measures. These amendments, including one excluding violence against lesbian, bisexual
and transgender women from the treaty, were denounced by NGO Amnesty International.
Only three ratifications yet
Twenty six countries have signed the convention has been open for signature on May 11th, 2011
in Istanbul. However, among those, only three have had their national parliaments ratify the treaty:
Turkey was the first to sign it and ratify it. Albania and Portugal ratified it in February 2013.
It takes ten ratifications, including eight Member States’, for the treaty to come into force. It will
then be legally binding for the signatories.
Despite a mere three ratifications in almost 24 months, the COE is confident to see the convention
come to life soon. “By our standards, it is not a delay. We know that some countries, 8 or 9, are
officially planning to ratify it in the coming months,” Nelles says.
The treaty to come into force in early 2014
According to Nelles, France, Austria, Finland, Germany and Greece are committed to submit a
ratification bill to their national parliament in 2013. More countries, like Belgium, Norway, Georgia
or Sweden, are also working on it but have yet to commit to a time table. “Switzerland will sign it in
the next 6 months” the Head of the Violence Against Women unit adds.
Ratification is a long and complex process, she argues. “The treaty has over 80 articles of
technical legislation” that requires expert translations and intra-governmental discussions between
several ministries assessing legal implications. Then, each government has to draft a ratification
bill to submit to parliament and to get resources for policies planned in the treaty such as
introducing a help line.
“For instance, in Switzerland, ratifying an international treaty is a process with 8 to 10 steps,
involving both the federal and provincial level and can take up to four years, Nelles explains.
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Fluctuating political will, changes in ruling majorities, as well as elections, the ongoing economic
crisis and the sheer scope of this convention can also lengthen the process.
There is a 3 month buffer period, a standard procedure, planned in the law between the moment
the required number of signatories is reached and the moment the treaty comes into force. But the
COE looks forward, not back. “Soon, a good two thirds of our Member States wil have signed the
convention,” Nelles says, who expects it to come into force as early as the beginning of 2014. Early
2014, she says, would show “a smooth process” overall.
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The Istanbul Convention: strengthening the response to ending
violence against women
05/03/2013 – UNWomen.org
5 March 2013 – During a side event at the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of
Women (CSW57) on 4 March, UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri praised the
Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence (also known as the Istanbul Convention) as a “gold standard” and welcomed the
legally binding instrument as an important addition to existing treaties and the evolving body of
norms and standards around the world.
“We have been working closely with the Council of Europe to disseminate the value of the
convention and to inspire accession, including by non-members of the Council of Europe,” said Ms.
Puri, a keynote speaker at the event. “Beyond the legal basis that a convention provides, these
documents also have a symbolic importance. Each new agreement among sovereign States that
reaffirms women’s inviolable human rights tilts the balance toward positive change.”
Co-organized by the Council of Europe and the Permanent Mission of France to the UN, “Violence
against women: our concern, our response” was a side event focused on the Istanbul Convention
in the framework of international and regional legally binding treaties and its significance as an
efficient and practical tool for Governments in Europe and beyond.
Preventing violence, protecting survivors and prosecuting perpetrators are the cornerstones of the
Convention – which opened for signature in May 2011. To date, it has been signed by 25 Member
States of the Council of Europe. On 5 February 2013, Portugal became the third Member State of
the Council of Europe to ratify it, joining Turkey and Albania.
The Convention will enter into force following its ratification by 10 countries, including eight
members of the Council of Europe. Of the 45 Governments that have signed on to UN Women’s
COMMIT initiative so far, 13 have specifically committed to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
Upon ratification, Governments are obliged to change their laws, introduce practical measures
coordinated through comprehensive policies and allocate resources to effectively prevent and
combat violence against women and domestic violence.
In terms of protection, the Convention focuses on removing obstacles that could prevent someone
from reporting a crime, granting police power to remove perpetrators from the home, ensuring
access to information for victims, and it requires the provision of services to survivors, including
shelters, telephone hotlines, specialist support services, crisis centres, and legal assistance.
To ensure prosecution of perpetrators, the Convention defines and criminalizes various forms of
violence against women. It also creates substantive law on aggravating factors, compensation,
jurisdiction issues, custody issues, and civil remedies, as well as addressing immediate response
guidelines, protective orders, evidence standards, statutes of limitations, and other aspects of
judicial proceedings.
Regarding prevention, it obliges State Parties to train professionals who are in contact with
survivors, run awareness campaigns, develop education materials, and create treatment
programmes for perpetrators.
During the side event, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister for Women’s Rights and Spokesperson for
the Government of France, highlighted the Convention’s identification of minority and vulnerable
groups as another important element that is already being mirrored in other legislative
amendments in her own country, such as laws to prevent forced marriages abroad from being
recognized in France.
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Ms. Puri also welcomed the Convention’s emphasis on reporting and monitoring. An independent
group of experts will be set up to monitor its implementation.
In her concluding remarks, Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council
of Europe, said the Istanbul Convention makes it clear that violence against women and domestic
violence can no longer be considered a private matter.
“It links the eradication of violence against women firmly with the achievement of equality between
women and men,” she said. “This didn’t happen out of the blue. In Europe, we have been closely
following what happens at the UN.”
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Preventing and responding to violence against women
20/11/2012 – CYBERAMBASSADORS – The blog of the U.S. Consulate General in Strasbourg
About the Author: Evan G. Reade is the U.S. Consul General in Strasbourg and the Deputy U.S.
Permanent Observer to the Council of Europe.
In December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming
November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. As in years
past, the Department of State, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and U.S. Embassies
around the world will be hosting events to commemorate this day and the accompanying 16 Days
of Activism Against Gender Violence. For more information on the State Department’s role and
activities in protecting women and girls from violence, visit http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/index.htm. In
August 2012, the U.S. released the first ever Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based
Violence Globally, accompanied by a Presidential Executive Order to implement the strategy.
But the U.S. is not alone in working to combat this scourge. Violence against women and girls is a
serious violation of human rights that is widespread everywhere in the world, including in all
Council of Europe member states. What has the Council of Europe been doing to counter this? It
has been stridently addressing this phenomenon through various cooperation projects, action
plans, and recommendations, which have culminated in the adoption of the Convention on
Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the
Istanbul Convention, which was opened for signature in May 2011.
The Istanbul Convention is the first legally-binding instrument in Europe in the field of violence
against women and domestic violence, and it terms of scope, the most far-reaching international
treaty to tackle this serious violation of human rights. It aims at zero tolerance for such violence
and is a major step forward in making Europe – and beyond – a safer place. The Convention
places a great importance on the role of national human rights institutions and civil society
organizations, and requires states to offer a holistic response to violence against women and girls
by involving all relevant actors, including national and regional parliaments, national human rights
institutions, NGOs and civil society organizations, including faith-based organizations, when
implementing comprehensive policies and conducting awareness-raising campaigns.
By accepting the Istanbul Convention, governments are obliged to change their laws, introduce
practical measures, and allocate resources to effectively prevent and respond to violence against
women and domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention makes it clear that any and all forms of
violence against women and girls is unacceptable. Domestic violence can no longer be considered
as a private matter to be hidden in homes or workplaces; states have an obligation to prevent
violence, protect victims, and punish perpetrators.
The Istanbul Convention is currently being signed and ratified by Council of Europe members
states, and is also open to accession by non-member states. It will enter into force once ten
countries have ratified it, eight of which must be Council of Europe member states.
For more information on what the Council of Europe is doing to prevent violence against women,
visit their web site at http://www.coe.int/conventionviolence. Together — with commitments and
action from governments, regional bodies, civil society, the private sector, and communities — we
can do more to end violence against women and girls.
Evan G. Reade
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Making Europe free from all forms of violence against women and
domestic violence
Resolution as adopted, Athens Council, November 2012 – Europeangreens.eu
We are truly concerned about the extremely slow pace in the signing and ratifying of the
Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence,
adopted by the Council of Europe on May 11, 2011. Turkey is the only state out of all the European
countries which has ratified the convention to date. It must be noted that the Convention will only
enter into force if at least 10 states ratify it, including eight member states of the Council of
Europe[1].
Despite a number of positive changes that occurred during the last couple of years, such as the
adoption of laws on combating domestic violence and the national action plans to prevent and
combat domestic violence which took place in several countries, violence against women is still
pervasive in Europe. According to the Council of Europe statistics, presented in 2009, 45% of
women in Europe have suffered from some form of violence. It is estimated that one in five women
in Europe has been subjected to domestic violence.
Violence against women is a structural and widespread problem throughout Europe. Women are
the main victims of gender-based violence. Women are also particularly exposed to hidden and
unreported forms of violence. Following Eurostat, the rate of unreported crime is 60%.
Every year several hundred of women die because of “family disagreements” (as the police refer to
these cases) in different European countries. For example, in Poland 40% of murders are rooted in
domestic violence.
The Convention adopted by the Council of Europe addresses, in a comprehensive way, all issues
related to combating domestic violence. It defines various forms of violence (such as psychological
violence; stalking; physical violence; sexual violence, including rape; forced marriage; female
genital mutilation; forced abortion and forced sterilization; sexual harassment; so-called “honour”
crimes). The Convention clearly addresses the problem of gender-based violence and that it is
women and children who are the main victims of domestic violence.
The Convention provides victims of violence with a range of legal, psychological and economic
help. It obliges the states to ensure an adequate number of shelters for victims of domestic
violence; makes available state-wide 24/7 telephone helplines free of charge and most importantly;
allocates funds in the state budget to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic
violence.
Moreover, the Convention is an attempt to make society more gender-sensitive and to change
people’s attitudes towards domestic violence; gender stereotypes being one of the main causes of
domestic violence. In the case of domestic violence, the judiciary are obliged to respect and protect
the rights of persons who have suffered from domestic violence in order to avoid secondary
victimization. The Convention requests that states adopt the adequate legal measures that make
possible immediate and effective isolation of the perpetrator of domestic violence from his or her
victim (e.g. the police shall be allowed to order the perpetrator to stay away from the victim) and to
take these steps in the case of rape without awaiting the victims’ request.
The monitoring mechanism is an integral part of the Convention. The Group of Experts on Action
Against Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, ‘GREVIO’, is commissioned to supervise
the implementation of the Convention by the states. The Convention obliges states to set up
national observatories on combating violence against women and domestic violence whose tasks
include coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policies and actions
undertaken to prevent and combat all forms of violence enumerated in the Convention, and to
ensure gender-based data collection.
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For the time being, even though ratification of the Convention seems to be taken for granted, it has
met resistance in many states. Violence against women constitutes a violation of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. The urgency to undertake immediate steps to combat violence against
women and domestic violence has been clearly stated in many international treaties and
conventions, such as the Vienna Declaration and Plan for Action (1993), the UN Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993), the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and CEDAW
General Recommendation no. 19, which is entirely devoted to the problem of violence against
women.
Therefore, we, the European Greens, call on all European countries that are member states of the
Council of Europe to ratify the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women
and Domestic Violence as soon as possible. Ratification of the Convention by all the European
countries, as well as by the European Union itself, and incorporation of the Conventions’
regulations into national legislation, and implementation of the Convention, is an opportunity to
effectively protect women, children and men who suffer from domestic violence. The institutions
and persons who deliver help to victims of violence will have better tools to fulfill their tasks.
We welcome the commitment by the EU Commission in its Action Plan implementing the
Stockholm Programme to present by 2012 a 'Communication on a strategy to combat violence
against women, domestic violence and female genital mutilation, to be followed up by an EU Action
Plan'. Regrettably, there has been no action from the European Commission so far.
We likewise welcome the "Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing
minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime" adopted on 12
September 2012 and here especially the EU wide definition of gender-based violence and violence
committed in close relationship.
In order to make Europe truly free from all forms of violence against women and domestic violence,
we demand:
that the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic
Violence is ratified, without any objections, as soon as possible by the European countries, as well
as by the European Union itself;
that the European Commission proposes a new comprehensive policy approach against genderbased violence including a criminal-law instrument in the form of a Directive against gender-based
violence and measures to address the 'six-P' framework on violence against women (policy,
prevention, protection, prosecution, provision, and partnership) as demanded by the European
Parliament in its report adopted 5 April 2011 on "Priorities and outline of a new EU policy
framework to fight violence against women".
that the European Union will make concerted efforts to work on the EU directive on combating
violence against women that was initiated during the Spanish EU Presidency, and that the Greens/
EFA monitor this process at the EU level;
that 2014 be announced as the European Year to Prevent and Combat Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence, and that at the same time awareness of children as victims of domestic
violence in Europe has to be raised.
[1] As of 22 September, 2012, 22 states signed the Convention but they have not ratified it yet:
Albania, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta,
Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the
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United Kingdom, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The European Union has not yet
signed, nor ratified, the Convention.
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