''Stop Domestic Violence against Women'' Campaign: film-debate at the Odyssée

As part of the ''Stop Domestic Violence against Women'' Campaign, the Odyssée cinema in Strasbourg (France) screened ''Te doy mis ojos'' (Take My Eyes), by Spanish director Icíar Bollaín, on 7 December 2006.

Message by Halvdan Skard, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

Throughout its history our continent, Europe, has been riven by violence. The conquests of the Roman Empire, the Inquisition, the wars of the Middle Ages – centuries of violence that culminated in the atrocities of the two world wars, which also began on European soil.

We have learned our lesson. Today, we seek to  outlaw violence. However, inasmuch as violence in public places is now seen as a crime, this must also apply to that which takes place in houses and apartments, in private places, hiding behind four walls – domestic violence against women.

We cannot simply close our eyes to the fact that, in Europe, the continent which has suffered so much violence throughout its history, millions of women are beaten and abused, often by their nearest and dearest. On the contrary, we have a moral duty to stop this evil.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which represents 200,000 local and regional authorities of our continent, is resolved to fully commit itself to the fight against domestic violence, just as it is committed to combating trafficking in human beings.

Domestic violence concerns us all, and all of us – individuals, municipalities and governments – must seek to put an end to it. The aim of the "Stop domestic violence against women” campaign, launched by the Council of Europe, is to make people aware of this serious crime and to find effective ways of preventing and combating such violence by getting the governments, parliaments and local and regional authorities of Council of Europe member states, and NGOs and civil society, to work together.

The campaign underlines the fact that each of us has a role to play in combating domestic violence – and who is better placed to play that role than local and regional authorities, given that they are confronted with the direct consequences of domestic violence on a daily basis?

During the two years of the campaign, the Congress will mount action to help the victims of domestic violence, through associations of local authorities of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states. A campaign website has been set up to receive and take stock of the most effective programmes and to share good practices among local authorities across Europe.

Local and regional authorities, police forces, social workers and public officials are at the forefront of the fight against domestic violence and its repercussions on women and children, who are the main victims.

The Congress therefore urges all municipalities and regions of Europe, and all European citizens, to make the campaign to combat violence against women, including domestic  violence, a priority, by taking an active part, each at their own level, in the Council of Europe campaign and by calling on their governments and parliaments to support them.

We must break the silence that surrounds domestic violence for this silence is, in itself, another form of violence.