The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women. 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. The convention leaves no doubt: there can be no real equality between women and men if women experience gender-based violence on a large-scale and state agencies and institutions turn a blind eye.

In March 2016, The European Commission submitted a proposal for the signature and for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, which is currently being analysed and discussed in the Council working party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens’ Rights, and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP). At the European Parliament level, a joint report between the LIBE and FEMM Committees is being drafted by two rapporteurs, Ms Corazza Bildt (EPP, Sweden, FEMM Committee) and Ms Revault D’Allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D, France, LIBE Committee). Once adopted by the Plenary, this report will give the European Parliament consenting to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by the EU.

WAVE-WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE EUROPE – SUPPORTS ACCESSION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION

On the 31st of March 2017 the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens’ Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP Committee) of the Council of the European Union held its monthly meeting. One of the topics on the agenda concerned the European Union’s accession to the Istanbul Convention. As part of the work undertaken with the European Coalition to end violence against women and girls, as well as being one of the activities and aims of the Step Up! Campaign, WAVE is calling on EU Member States to accelerate the negotiations in the Council and make certain that the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention is ensured within a broader scope of competence. The WAVE Network together with the Coalition fully supports the accession of the EU with a broad scope of competence, as this can ensure the full protection of women’s rights, broad application as well as proper implementation of the Convention. WAVE Members from countries such as Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania or the United Kingdom have stepped up together and called on their Permanent Representations to the EU in Brussels to ‘listen to the demands of women’s and civil society organisations and proactively support the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention with the broadest scope of EU competence as possible’.

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The European Commission has declared 2017 the European Year of focused action to combat violence against women and girls.

The European Coalition TO END violence against women & girls calls on:

The EU Member States and the Council of the European Union to sign and conclude (ratify) the Istanbul Convention in 2017, and within the broadest scope of EU competence as possible.

The European Parliament to adopt a strong resolution consenting to the EU conclusion to the Istanbul Convention.

The European Commission to develop a comprehensive EU Strategy to prevent and combat all forms of violence against women that is coordinated and monitored by an EU coordinator body against VAWG.

The EU institutions to fully integrate the Istanbul Convention into the EU legislation and policy framework, establishing a relevant and representative EU monitoring framework.

The EU Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention without reservations and to put in place the necessary legislative and policy changes to ensure its adequate implementation of the Istanbul Convention, including allocating sustainable and adequate funding to, and cooperating with civil society and women’s rights organisations.

Facts in Europe

1 in 3 women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15.

50 women die every week from male domestic violence.

75 % of women in top management positions have experienced sexual harassment at work.

1 in 4 women experience physical and/or sexual violence during pregnancy.

60% of homeless women cite domestic violence as one of the causes of their homelessness.

Violence against women can have life-long implications for the physical and mental health of women.

Certain women face a greater risk of violence because of motives fuelled by sexism as well as racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination. Furthermore, intersecting forms of discrimination limit access to justice and support and protection services.

Between 50% and 60% of women mental health service users have experienced domestic violence, and up to 20% will be experiencing current abuse.

28% of older women had experienced some kind of violence and abuse at home in the 12 months prior to a survey.

Women with disabilities are 2 to 5 times more likely to be victims of violence than non-disabled women and are subjected to sterilisation and abortions against their will.

Roma women are more likely to face early marriages and attacks on their physical integrity, such as forced sterilisation.

23% of lesbian women had been at least once physically/sexually attacked or threatened with violence at home or elsewhere (street, on public transport, at your workplace, etc) in the last 5 years.

Undocumented women and women with a dependent migration status (on a spouse or employer) are at a heightened risk of violence and exploitation. Because of the risk of being detained and deported- rather than assisted-, they face particular barriers in accessing support, protection and services.

85% of young women in the UK experiences sexual harassment in public spaces. Women of colour receive a barrage of racism when they object to harassment.

60 to 100% of victims of hate crime attacks on Muslims in Europe are women, especially women wearing headscarf, demonstrating a disproportionate effect on women as victims of such attacks.

At least 500,000 women and girls live with the lifelong consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM).

Violence against women costs €226 billion euros each year, which represent almost 2 % of the annual EU budget.

Main sources: FRA survey on violence against women 2014 and other FRA surveys; Studies developed by the European Parliamentary Research Services; European Studies funded by DAPHNE and Academic and NGO studies; National surveys.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence

http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/210

Chart of Ratifications & Signatures – http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/210/signatures

GREVIO is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) by the Parties. http://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/grevio

European Coalition to End Violence Against Women – http://www.socialplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FACTSHEET-FINAL-all-logos-1.pdf