2 Measures taken pursuant to this article shall include age-appropriate psychosocial counselling for

child witnesses of all forms of violence covered by the scope of this Convention and shall give due

regard to the best interests of the child.

Article 27 – Reporting

Parties shall take the necessary measures to encourage any person witness to the commission of acts

of violence covered by the scope of this Convention or who has reasonable grounds to believe that

such an act may be committed, or that further acts of violence are to be expected, to report this to

the competent organisations or authorities.

Article 28 – Reporting by professionals

Parties shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the confidentiality rules imposed by internal

law on certain professionals do not constitute an obstacle to the possibility, under appropriate

conditions, of their reporting to the competent organisations or authorities if they have reasonable

grounds to believe that a serious act of violence covered by the scope of this Convention, has been

committed and further serious acts of violence are to be expected.

Chapter V – Substantive law

Article 29 – Civil lawsuits and remedies

1 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to provide victims with adequate civil

remedies against the perpetrator.

2 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to provide victims, in accordance with

the general principles of international law, with adequate civil remedies against State authorities

that have failed in their duty to take the necessary preventive or protective measures within the

scope of their powers.

Article 30 – Compensation

1 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that victims have the right to

claim compensation from perpetrators for any of the offences established in accordance with this

Convention.

2 Adequate State compensation shall be awarded to those who have sustained serious bodily injury

or impairment of health, to the extent that the damage is not covered by other sources such as the

perpetrator, insurance or State-funded health and social provisions. This does not preclude Parties

from claiming regress for compensation awarded from the perpetrator, as long as due regard is

paid to the victim’s safety.

3 Measures taken pursuant to paragraph 2 shall ensure the granting of compensation within a

reasonable time.

Article 31 – Custody, visitation rights and safety

1 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that, in the determination of

custody and visitation rights of children, incidents of violence covered by the scope of this

Convention are taken into account.

2 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that the exercise of any

visitation or custody rights does not jeopardise the rights and safety of the victim or children.

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