1. The added Value of the Istanbul Convention: Prevention, Protection and Support to victims of violence
Hilary Fisher
Expert consultant, former member of CAHVIO and former Chair of the Council of Europe Task Force to Combat Violence against Women

2. Prevention Protection
Coordinated Policies
Prevention
Protection
Prosecution
INTEGRATED
APPROACH
Adequately resourced

3. Prevention
Attitudes, prejudices, gender stereotypes and gender- biased customs or traditions influence patterns of behaviour that contribute to perpetuating violence.
To eradicate violence these need to be challenge. The Convention calls for:
Promoting changes in attitudes and behaviour
Taking legislative and other measures
Taking account of needs of vulnerable people placing their human rights at the centre
Encouraging all, especially men and boys, to prevent it
Ensuring culture, custom or religion not a justification
Promoting programmes and activities that empower women
Article 12 - General Obligations

4. Changing attitudes and behaviours
Regular awareness raising programs and campaigns on violence working with non governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society.
Widespread information provision on preventative measures
Promoting equality and mutual respect in interpersonal relationships through education in:
All schools with teaching materials for all levels of education
Informal educational settings e.g. community and sports facilities
Training all relevant professionals in prevention and detection of violence, equality, survivors needs, prevention of re victimisation and multi-agency cooperation.
Encourage media and private sector to set standards to prevent violence against women and promote respect.
Articles 13 Awareness raising, 14 Education and 15 Training of professionals

5. Working with perpetrators
Establish or support treatment programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence and for sex offenders, based on best practice.
Programmes need to:
Encourage perpetrators to take responsibility for their actions and examine their attitudes towards women
Be run by skilled facilitators
Work closely with women’s support services, law enforcement agencies, child support agencies
Safety and support for, and human rights of, survivors must remain primary concern.
Article 16 Preventive intervention and treatment programmes

6. Protection and support – immediate and long term
Judiciary
Public prosecutors
Law enforcement agencies
Local and regional authorities
Others
Non governmental organisations
VICTIM
Article 18 General Obligations
Co-operation between state agencies and with NGOs

7. Informing and supporting survivors
Ensure survivors:
Are informed of available support services and how to get help in relevant languages
Have access to general services including: legal and psychological counselling, financial assistance and housing that address their needs
Have access to health and social services that are adequately resourced with trained professionals
Are referred to appropriate specialist services
Have information on and access to regional and international complaints mechanisms
Articles 19 Information, 20 General Support Services and 21 Assistance in individual/collective complaints

8. Providing the right support
Tailored services essential to meet survivors needs.
Specific groups of women have particular needs e.g. young women, migrant women, women with disabilities
Support needs differ depending on type of violence experienced, requiring specialised services, e.g.:
rape crises and sexual assault centres, women’s centres, women’s shelters for survivors of forced marriage
Services need to be:
Immediate, short term and long term
Spread across the country
Accessible to all survivors and their children
Have skilled staffed and adequate funds
Able to empower survivors
Article 22 – Specialist Support Services

9. Types of services Delivered by Telephone helplines Shelters
Immediate medical support
Collection of forensic medical evidence (rape)
Psychological counselling
Legal counselling
Advocacy and outreach
For children as survivors or witnesses
Women’s organisations and support services provided by Local Authorities
Specialised and experienced staff experts on gender violence
And with inter-agency co-operation and co- ordination

10. Specialist shelters Helplines
Provide immediate access to safe, secure accommodation
Provide necessary support, addressing health, safety, financial and other needs
In sufficient numbers – recommended one family place per 10,000 inhabitants
Provide immediate access to help and support - essential for survivors of violence
Need to be:
Free of charge
Available across the country
24/7 - round the clock
Providing confidential information and counselling in a number of languages
Articles 23 – Shelters and 24 – Telephone helplines
According to WAVE (Women Against Violence Europe) there are 2,349 women´s shelters in the whole of Europe, providing approximately 28,000 shelter places to women and children survivors of violence. According to the minimum standard of one place per 10,000 inhabitants, a total of approximately 82,000 places would be needed in Europe. WAVE Country Report 2011
There are 38 shelters in Portugal providing 617 places for women and their children – WAVE
37 Shelters providing 632 places EIGE report

11. Support for survivors of sexual violence
Survivors of sexual violence, including rape, require:
Sensitive response by well trained, specialised staff
Provision of immediate medical care, forensic examination and trauma support
Longer term psychological counselling
Provision for sufficient easily accessible rape crisis or sexual referral centres for survivors.
CoE Task Force to Combat Violence against women and domestic violence recommended one centre per every 200,000 inhabitants
Article 25 – Support for victims of sexual violence

12. Protecting child witnesses
Children in families where there is violence are aware of it and may also experience abuse. It causes significant harm.
Protection and support services to survivors must take account of rights and needs of children witnessing violence.
Address children’s victimisation by providing psychosocial counselling tailored to children’s needs.
Action taken must be in the best interests of the child.
Article 26 – Protection and support for child witnesses

13. Breaking the silence around violence
Protecting victims from further violence by encouraging reporting by:
Witnesses – friends, neighbours, family, colleagues if they believe violence has occurred or further acts of violence may happen
Professionals – lifting confidentiality rules for professionals when they believe serious violence has been committed and is likely to reoccur
Articles 27 Reporting and 28 Reporting by professionals

14. Protection orders
Establishing emergency barring orders empowering authorities in situations of immediate danger to:
Remove perpetrators from the residence
Give priority to the safety of the victim
Make available restraining or protection orders to victims for their immediate protection that are:
Easily accessible, low cost, for a specific period and can be issued ex parte
Available irrespective to other legal proceedings and can be introduced in future legal proceedings
Critical that:
While the ban is in place victims can:
Receive specialist advice and support
Request longer-term protection
Any breaches of such orders are a crime
Article 52 emergency barring orders , Article 53 restraining or protection orders