Council of Europe Regional Conference

“Effective ways to prevent and to combat violence against women

and domestic violence”

(Bratislava, Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel, 29 November 2011)

Speech by Sandra Barnes (NR, United Kingdom), Congress Rapporteur on domestic violence.

I have listened with great interest to the presentations today and I congratulate the organisers for a stimulating and important contribution to this compelling topic. Regional conferences can be an important opportunity for professionals and other colleagues to meet and exchange views, share good practice and move forward together in tackling this huge problem.

I am speaking to you today in my role as rapporteur for the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. It has been a privilege to have been asked to undertake this task and I have followed the topic closely for the last seven years or so. The Congress has given its support to the Convention and has welcomed wholeheartedly its contents. The Congress has also passed Recommendation 260 (2009) and Resolution 279 (2009) on this topic[1]. The Congress believes that this is a very important Convention and, if embedded across the member states, it will make a real difference to the lives of women.

Violence against women in all its various forms is an abomination in the 21st century. For too long women have been regarded as property or chattels and not as equals in terms of gender equality, education, work opportunities, or able to fully participate in civil society and the democratic processes.

I have noted that over the years the subject of violence against women has risen higher up the political and public agenda. I have read more reports in our national daily papers about domestic violence – unfortunately most of them not good but I can take some satisfaction when the perpetrators are convicted in court and jailed. In some cases, they are not. I shall read to you a recent example of this in the United Kingdom.

There has also been much media coverage of so-called ‘honour killings’. There can never be any excuse for taking another person’s life. Honour does not come into it, there is nothing honourable about it - it is brutal murder. There can not be any excuse that this is part of a person’s cultural heritage.

So what can Local and Regional Authorities contribute? Do they have any role to play in helping to eradicate this problem? The answer is, of course, that they do.

First of all, they should lobby their governments to sign and ratify the Convention. Also encourage Regional Authorities with legislative powers to adopt their own laws in line with the Convention. Even if the government has not yet signed the Convention, action can still be taken in a number of areas. Although resources are a big problem in the current economic climate, doing nothing usually costs much more throughout the life of a woman and her children. Not doing anything costs even more over decades and many generations. Co-ordination between all levels of government is essential if we are to see change.

Across Europe there are thousands of elected members and professional staff involved in local government. Some of whom I am sure will have experienced violence at first hand. Of course the clue is local government. Elected members will live, and sometimes work in, their local communities. They should be well-known to their electorate and should be called upon for help. Councillors should use this privileged position to champion the cause of ending violence against women in all its forms.

The local authorities can take a proactive role. They should use their position and influence to promote knowledge of the Convention both within their communities and their administrative areas and to their strategic partners.

In order to understand the extent of domestic violence and violence against women, the local authority should collect and analyse data, perhaps in cooperation with a local university. Some of the information needed is:

·         how many families are involved,

·         how many cases of violence in all forms against women come before the courts,

·         how many injunctions and restraining orders are taken out,

·         how many convictions are there,

·         do the police have a dedicated unit with specially trained officers to deal with domestic abuse?

Once the extent of the problem is known, workshops can be arranged on a multi-agency basis to disseminate this information and decide on the way forward. A multi-agency group should be set up to oversee a cascade of information about the Convention. A dedicated website could also be set up.

However, debates and fine words do not always lead to real action. The big area of service provision needs to be addressed which also embraces the need for staff to be properly trained in order to recognise the signs and symptoms of domestic abuse.

·         Has the municipality helped to finance or made available suitable accommodation for a refuge or safe houses?

·         Are houses available, not in the immediate vicinity, if a woman needs to leave home urgently?

·         Are panic alarms offered or a safe room within their own house?

·         Are advice centres, counselling and help-lines available?

These initiatives are not solely the responsibility of the local authorities. They should be working in partnership with other major actors such as

·         the police,

·         health services,

·         social services,

·         the courts,

·         national and local voluntary organisations and

·         faith groups in order to provide a comprehensive and holistic response to the problem.

Obviously all the agencies working together need to acknowledge the problem and be committed to the reduction of domestic violence.

There should be opportunities for the topic of violence against women in all its various component parts to be addressed within the school curriculum. Youth leaders using informal settings can address the issues, perhaps through drama and role play and other creative activities. Are opportunities available for informal discussions and organised debates on this topic?

Is financial and benefit advice easily accessible? How are these services promoted so that vulnerable women know of them? Do the local authorities and the wider partnerships fully involve the leaders of the faith groups? Sermons etc. can have a powerful influence on the behaviour and conduct of their believers. Many faith leaders will have detailed knowledge of the families within their congregations and often visit the homes and have important intelligence. Faith leaders are often consulted by their followers for advice and help. Do the multi-agency groups have a strategy for seeking out the hard-to-reach women ?

The role of the media can be very influential.  Articles and comment columns in the local newspapers are useful. Television and cinema advertisements can be a very powerful tool. Does violence against women get into the story lines in ‘soaps’ and popular programmes? Are there any well-known personalities who would be willing to speak out and lead an awareness-raising campaign? Could eye-catching posters be displayed on municipal vehicles such as waste-collection lorries and buses?

I believe that authorities have a pivotal role to play by leading by example, promoting good practice among the various agencies, monitoring and evaluating the programmes that will be enacted to help eradicate the problems.

Elected members, both male and female, need to become passionate in the pursuit of reducing the problem of domestic violence. They can make it their personal commitment and feature it at election time in their manifestos. They can help to ensure that the local authority is fully committed to promoting the convention and will make the resources available to help these vulnerable people. A councillor champion should be appointed to lead campaigns and give talks to community groups.

Ladies and gentlemen, by our own efforts, if each of us can prevent one woman from being beaten up, or killed, help one woman to be able to live without fear or oppression, one woman not forced into marriage against her will, one woman not forced into a life of servitude but given the chance of an education, then personally we will have made a difference. Together, we can all make a bigger difference and hopefully future generations who live in our municipalities will say that, in 2012, significant steps were taken to ensure that women were freer and that their rightful place in society was ensured.